Walk Tall
by lilscout
Summary: Moderately A/U - Both Callie and Arizona are surgeons at SGH, but meet in a different way at Emerald City Bar. Arizona has some...skills...that come in handy one night when Callie is harassed. Hope you enjoy it.
1. Chapter 1

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

**Chapter 1**

Summary – Moderately A/U. Both women are surgeons at SGH, but they meet in a slightly different way at Emerald City Bar. Arizona has some...skills...that come in handy one night when Callie is being harassed.

A/N - Set just after Arizona joins SGH as Head of Paediatrics, so no merger people yet.

...

"Done for the night, Dr. Torres?" The sympathetic tone in the charge nurse's voice made Callie wince inside.

It was a tone that Callie was getting really tired of hearing. From everyone. _God, has it really come to this? I'm being pitied by the nurses now?_

Callie forced a smile she did not feel, and handed the patient chart back to the seated woman at the nurse's station. "'Night Sylvia. See you Monday, I guess." Callie turned and walked away. But where to go? Not home, that's for sure. She knew Owen and Cristina would be there and she was in no mood to watch the happy couple be happy. Mark was out with Lexie, she knew that too. "Joe's it is..." she mumbled to herself as she wearily pushed open the door to the resident's lounge and sat down to shed her hospital scrubs in favour of her green top, black jeans and black leather jacket.

Callie wandered slowly along the street, head down as she pulled open the door to the Emerald City Bar. Making her way over to a stool, she quickly scanned the room for familiar faces, and sat down in a huff as she realized that no one she knew was present tonight. Joe spotted her as she approached, and without being asked, placed a full shot glass in front of the sad doctor.

"On the house, Dr. Torres." He gave her a brief smile.

Callie lifted the little glass to eye level and gave a mini salute to the venerable bartender.

"Cheers, Joe, and keep 'em coming. I've got nowhere to be tomorrow except hung over."

An hour later, as shot number seven burned a path down the inside of her throat, Callie took a moment to look around at a few of the other patrons seated at the bar. A happy couple at one corner, sitting close, whispering and laughing with eachother, _Ugh, barf, _a couple of thirty something women chatting casually as they stirred their drinks, _hmmm...blonde's cute, but nope, don't need to be thinking about any blondes tonight, _and lastly, some random guy a little older than Callie who she had noticed making eyes at her since she sat down. He seemed to take the brief glance in his direction as some sort of opening, because he slid off his stool and made his way over to her. Callie rolled her eyes as she tossed back the contents of the glass in her hand.

"Hi, I'm Peter." He was smiling and waiting for her name as if he was the kind of guy who usually got one from the women he hit on.

"Good for you." Callie said as she turned her head away from him, preferring instead to check out the pretty blonde again. Unfortunately he didn't take the hint.

"So, I noticed you're here alone tonight." He was persistent, she had to give him that.

She turned back to him, sighing heavily. "Look, I'm not trying to be rude, but you're wasting your breath with me. I'm just not interested, okay?"

"A challenge!" he remarked, coming around behind her to sit on the empty stool to her left.

"No you don't get it...oh whatever, suit yourself." Callie was too tired and too depressed to care, so she simply motioned to Joe for another shot as he passed by the bar register.

"Everything okay here, Dr. Torres?" There was mild concern in his voice. He knew exactly how many shots Callie had already tossed back, and this guy hitting on her seemed to not want to take no for an answer. "How 'bout just one more for the road, okay, then I'm gonna send you home."

"Ok, Joe. You're prob'ly right," she slurred as she reached out and patted his arm while he tipped the bottle of tequila upside down to fill the little glass in front of her. "You take good care of me," she smiled to him. Joe returned her smile, then gave the guy a stern look.

"One more for me too, barkeep," the guy lifted his tumbler and shook it, tinkling the ice cubes around, then turned his attention back to Callie.

"So...a _doctor_, huh?" Random Guy leaned in a little closer. "Maybe we can go back to your place and you can show me _your_ bedside manor?" His breath stank of whisky and cigarettes.

Callie quickly downed the final shot, and laughed out loud at the ridiculous pick up line.

"Wow, you're a real charmer, you know that!" She started to slide off the seat as she bid him a goodnight and goodluck.

He grabbed her forearm a little too tightly and tried to hold her there. "Awww, come on now...we could have some real fun, you and I." He licked his lips and slid his other hand firmly along Callie's butt. "You have a great ass," he remarked.

Callie was drunk, and depressed, and unsteady on her feet, but she had just enough clarity left in her to shrug her arm firmly from his grasp and make her way to the exit, muttering _asshole_ on her way out. That kind of attention was really the last thing she needed tonight.

She pushed open the heavy door and moved quickly outside, stopping when the cold damp air hit her cheeks. She pulled the flaps of her thin coat tightly around her torso and turned to make her way to her building, once again grateful that she lived so close.

"Hey!" she heard a voice behind her. She turned and came face to face with the same guy. He was moving towards her with his hands out to his sides, as if in a defensive gesture. "Hey, sorry about that. Guess I had too much to drink too. Why don't you come back inside...let me make it up to you."

"The only thing you're sorry about is that I shrugged you off. And no, I'm not going back inside. I'm going home..._alone_." Callie spit the last part out, getting angrier by the second.

He came close to her and circled around so that she was effectively boxed in by him. To her right was a wall, to her left were some shrubs, and behind, the door to the bar. He was playing the angles, and he was winning. He moved in closer and pushed her lightly against the wall as his left arm went up to block her escape and his right hand quickly moved under her jacket, attempting to fondle her breasts.

Callie's intoxicated mind reeled and she started to panic. How did this go so wrong so quickly? She pushed his wandering arm away and shouted for him to stop, but he simply responded by grabbing her forearm again and pressing her harder against the wall. As his other hand began to trail farther south down Callie's body, they both heard a voice coming from the saloon entrance.

"She's made it pretty clear she's not interested. Stop now and save yourself a lot of trouble."

Callie's head whipped around to see who her rescuer was. _It's that hot blonde from the bar!_

Arizona Robbins moved slowly towards the guy. He scoffed at her and stumbled back awkwardly away from Callie to face his next conquest. "Yeah, blondie? You gonna make me?" He was smirking to himself and didn't notice that Callie had silently moved away from the wall towards the street.

"I'm simply asking you to leave the woman alone," Arizona responded evenly, stopping and standing in place a few feet from his mildly staggering body.

The guy decided he was going to have some fun after all, and goaded the blonde as he stepped closer to her. "I think _you_ should mind you're _own_ business, unless 'o course, you want to join the party." He smiled what he thought was a charming grin at her, but noticed that her expression remained unchanged, and it only made him angry. "Fine!" he spit out at her. "Then _back off_!" As he yelled at her he reached out with his fingers and pushed against her left shoulder in an attempt to amplify his point. He startled a little when not only didn't she fall back, but she didn't even budge. Not an inch. Like she was ready for it, expecting it. Arizona didn't respond, and simply moved past him to join Callie at the curb.

"Here," she said softly to the teetering and shocked doctor, as she held her gently by the arm, "I'll get you into a cab."

Callie looked at the mystery woman through blurry eyes and though she was fast losing all coherent thought, managed to squeak out that she lived in the building down the street, so she could just walk home.

"Okay," Arizona responded with a caring smile, "I'll walk you home. You're in no shape to get there on your own."

The guy stood on the sidewalk, blinking and swaying, feeling dismissed, trying to figure out how the circumstances had changed so quickly. One second he was feeling up the hot brunette, the next second they're both walking away from him. He saw himself as charming and handsome. Things did not usually work out for him this way, and it pissed him off. It was the blonde, it was her fault. He was suddenly overcome with rage and hurried towards the women who had their backs to him, the blonde supporting the brunette as they walked. He grabbed hard and rough at the right shoulder of the smaller woman. He would show her a thing or two.

But Arizona had other plans.

He wasn't quiet, so she heard his fast approach. Odds are that a man will grab a woman to turn her around and punch. They usually don't tackle women from behind. She figured correctly that his first move would be to the shoulder. So, in her mind, it was over before it began. He grabbed at her right shoulder with his right hand while leaning in with his right leg, which meant he was off balance. Arizona let go of Callie, lightly pushing her away, then quickly reached over with her left hand and ducked down slightly as she grabbed his hand in hers. He would be expecting her to pull away from him, but instead she stepped back into his body and lifted his arm up into the air and twisted it as she turned underneath it. This motion surprised him and he was forced by his own body's immediate sense of pain to spin around with his back now facing her. She immediately moved both her hands to his wrist, bending it in, and applied a moderate amount of pressure to the joint connecting his middle finger to his right hand. He instantly cried out in pain, collapsing to the sidewalk on one knee, desperately trying to find a way to relieve the intense strain on his right arm. Arizona calmly matched each attempt he made to push and pull his way out of the painful hold, until he finally realized he was just making it worse and gave up as he cried out a desperate apology, begging to be let go.

Arizona turned her head to look at Callie who was standing still, stunned by what she was witnessing. "Do you want the police?" she asked her. "Do you want to press charges?"

Callie took a second to register that those words were directed at her, then shook her head and managed a stuttered "N..no, no I don't." She pulled her gaze up from the broken man on the ground to lock her wide eyes with the blonde again. "I just want him to go away..."

Arizona leaned down close to the man's ear, and whispered angrily, "For what you did to her I would really like to hurt you," she paused, "but that's not who I am. I'm going to let you get up in a moment, but first..." She applied just the tiniest bit more pressure to his joint and he whimpered again in pain. "What you're feeling is your tendons about to snap. Trust me, you don't want that."

She let go a little, providing him some welcomed relief.

"So, here's what's going to happen. You are going to stand up and you are going to walk away. You will not say or do anything. You will just walk away. You will not think of retaliating. It would be...unwise...and there would be police involvement. Do you understand me?"

He nodded his head quickly, trying to stifle a sob as he responded to her.

Arizona let go of his wrist and took three steps back from him, placing herself out of reach just in case he, foolishly, was thinking of making a move. He stayed on the ground for a moment, cradling his very sore wrist in his left arm, then awkwardly stood up, turned around to glare at her, then moved off quickly down the street. She watched him get to the end of the block, before he turned back one last time to scream "Bitch!", then he turned the corner and was gone.

Arizona turned back to Callie with a look of deep concern. "Are you okay?" she asked the brunette.

"Am _I_ okay?" Callie responded with shock. "I should be asking you that! How did you do that, anyway?"

Arizona chuckled as she moved forward and took Callie's arm in her's again. "How about I save that story for another day? You're still pretty unsteady on your feet and I need to get you home before the rain really starts." Both women looked up as the first few big drops began to fall from the dark sky. "Shall we?"

Callie simply nodded and allowed herself to be helped along the street and up the two flights of stairs to her apartment door. Exhaustion took hold faster than she hoped and after a fourth failed attempt to place her key in the lock, Arizona moved close and gently took Callie's wavering hand in hers, guiding it smoothly into the keyhole and pushing open the door. Arizona watched as Callie stumbled inside and headed straight for the couch, knocking her knee against the arm and falling on her side onto the soft cushions with a audible grunt. Almost immediately Callie began to emit a light snore. Arizona sighed and smiled at the adorable brunette, then moved to the kitchen and collected an empty bowl and a glass of water, and placed them on the coffee table beside the couch. She knelt down and cautiously untied and removed Callie's sneakers, not wanting to wake her, then stood up. She felt a slight pang a guilt for letting her eyes linger a little too long at the exposed skin of Callie's waist where her shirt had ridden up, and over the tempting curves of her jean-clad hips and butt. Lastly, Arizona's eyes settled on Callie's beautiful face, her serene features evidence of a deep slumber. Features that Arizona had been admiring from afar since the first day she spied the good doctor in the hospital cafeteria. Features that were hard to miss, especially when Callie smiled or laughed, which she didn't seem to do very often anymore, if the nurse's gossip wheel was any indication.

Arizona leaned in and sighed again as she tenderly brushed a few strands of hair away from Callie's cheek. "I was really hoping to get to meet you tonight Doctor Torres...but I didn't think it would be under these circumstances." She straightened up and made her way quickly to the open apartment door. Before leaving Arizona paused, then turned, and more to herself than anyone, sadly whispered, "Sweet dreams, Calliope."

...

Arizona can kick ass! Who knew? :) Want more? Let me know...


	2. Chapter 2

**Walk Tall...by lilscout **

Chapter 2

A/N – It's a short one but I think you'll like it anyway. BTW, I may have misspelled Kinley/Kenley, but I found both spellings in numerous references; if anyone knows for certain, can you let me know please?

**...**

Monday morning rolled around and while Callie's hangover had long since worn off, the foggy memories of that night still remained with her. She remembered being at Joe's. Beyond that, it was only flashes of the evening that she could recall. A guy, on the ground...someone helping her home...a beautiful blonde at her door...snapshots, but not a complete picture. The pounding headache and queasy stomach she woke to the next morning were the only things she was sure of. She didn't even remember taking off her own shoes, yet there they were, untied and lined up neatly beside the couch.

Callie looked down at her waist as her pager went off. Another busy day for the brilliant ortho doc. This time, the call was for a consult in paeds. Callie took the short elevator ride up, trying not to notice the sidelong glances she kept getting from various hospital staff. There it was again, pity. Sometimes, it was amusement or spite, but usually it was just pity. She rounded the corner to the nurse's station and began to ask who needed her assistance, when she was cut off by a pleasing sound to her right.

"Dr. Torres, how are you feeling?" Arizona asked, genuine concern in her voice.

Calllie turned quickly to greet the unknown doctor, though, come to think of it, there was something _vaguely_ familiar about her. "I'm sorry, have we met?" she asked, a little confused.

_Oh. She doesn't remember. _"Uh, well, sort of..." Arizona began, keenly aware of the interest the nurses were paying to this odd conversation. She decided to start over, and stuck out her hand. "I'm Arizona Robbins, the new head of paediatrics. I'm replacing Dr. Kinley." She paused, still holding Callie's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard so many good things about you." She made sure to emphasize that point, for the nosy nurse's sake, then politely sent them off to check on various patients.

Callie let her hand drop as she furtively surveyed the smiling woman before her. "So, you called for a consult?" Callie asked. _I do know her from somewhere..._

"I did, yes, it's about a leg fracture on a seven year old..." _Should I say something or not? Would she want to know it was me the other night? Would I?_

"Do you have the x-rays with you?" _God, those dimples are killing me...I don't think I've ever seen such beautiful blue eyes before..."_I'm sorry, what?"

Arizona smiled widely and repeated her question. "I asked if you thought that pins would be the best way to go given the placement of the injury?"

"Oh, right..." Callie motioned for the x-rays again, and Arizona stepped beside her and raised her arm to give the pictures some backlight. Callie caught a scent of something, and turned her head, her mind working overtime to try and understand the tenuous connections it was making. _Vanilla. I remember that from the other night, I think. The person who helped me get home smelled like vanilla. _

Arizona gave Callie a puzzled, yet concerned look. "Dr. Torres? Are you okay?"

_Are you okay?_ Those words, that voice, hung in her ears for a few moments. Callie's eyes narrowed, then went wide with realization. _That was you?_

Callie took a sharp breath in as the dots connected and the floodgates opened. "That was _you_!" she gasped out loud.

Arizona quickly pulled Callie into an empty nearby room before the whole floor found out about their unofficial first meeting.

Callie's mind raced to put together the events of the night, and she was remembering it all now. _Too much to drink at Joe's, the guy hitting on her, then later trying to assault her, the mystery woman at the doorway, no longer a mystery, the gentle way she held Callie's arm as she spoke to her, the guy grabbing at them and Arizona putting him down on the ground, walking home in the threatening rain, stumbling up the stairs and in the door, and soft blue eyes trailing over her body_ _as she drifted into sleep._ "I don't know what to say..." was all she could manage.

"You don't have to say anything. We can forget it ever happened, if that's what you want. I haven't said a word to anyone..." Arizona was cut off as Callie interrupted her.

"You were amazing!" she exclaimed. "I've never seen anything like that before...oh my god, were you injured?" She quickly grabbed at Arizona's shoulders and gave her a frenzied visual inspection.

Arizona laughed and calmly took Callie's hands in hers. "No Calliope, I'm not injured. I'm fine, honestly..." She paused. "I'm just _really_ glad _you're_ okay."

Callie couldn't have missed the sincerity in the woman's voice if she tried.

"Yeah, well, thanks to you, I'm fine. You really saved me." She paused, her eyes narrowing again. How did you _do_ that anyway?" Callie leaned in a little closer. "Are you secretly a ninja, or something?"

"No, not a ninja," Arizona's eyes widened and she laughed, and Callie thought it was just about the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Blue eyes twinkling, mouth open, dimples doing what they do best. Callie was instantly smitten, and she blushed, hard. Suddenly feeling very exposed, she turned away slightly to try, in vain, to hide her embarrassment.

Arizona couldn't have missed _that_ if she had tried. She pulled a pad of paper from her coat pocket and began to scribble on it. "This is where I train, if you're interested in learning some self defense skills." She tore off the sheet and held it out to Callie. An unspoken offering. _If she's at all interested, she'll take it...if not, she'll decline._

Callie unhesitatingly reached out to accept the information. She glanced at it just briefly before folding it and placing it in her own pocket. "Thanks," she said, and suddenly remembered why she had been there in the first place. "Oh, yeah, your seven year old, you were right, pins are the best option."

Arizona smiled brightly at Callie as she opened the exam room door, "Thanks a lot, Dr. Torres, I appreciate the advice." She hesitated before leaving, and lowered her voice, "You should come...to the class. Work permitting, I'm usually there Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 7 pm. I think you'd get a lot out of it. And, oh yeah, w_hen_ you come..." she let it hang in the air, "wear something comfortable."

Callie mutely nodded as she stood in place, watching the blonde doctor walk a few feet, then kick down and glide away along the hall on her Heelys. She pulled the piece of paper from her pocket and unfolded it again. She traced the along the lines of Arizona's handwriting with her finger, before finally registering what it said. Her face actually fell. "Oh my god. What did I get myself into?"

...

So, you like? :) I'll try to have the next chapter up in a couple of days.


	3. Chapter 3

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

Chapter 3

...

On Thursday night at about 6:30pm, Callie dragged both Cristina and Meredith along the dark and wet street, amid their very vocal protests.

"I get why _she's_ here," Meredith gestured to her best friend, "but I still don't understand why _I_ have to go!"

Cristina scoffed back, "Well if _you_ know why I'm here, then please, enlighten me."

Callie glared at her roommate as she pulled them along. "You _know_ why you're here! I told you what happened the other night. It wouldn't hurt any of us to learn a few self defense skills. That's all."

"Yeah right, _that's all_!" Cristina teased back. "You just want us there so you can have an excuse to check out your new hottie doctor crush without being too obvious," she stopped suddenly on the sidewalk and crossed her arms "and I, for one, resent being used as a decoy."

Meredith stopped as well and joined her friend in mutiny.

Callie's initial reaction of anger and impatience soon crumbled, replaced with one of fear and pleading. "_Please_, you guys!" She was not adverse to begging. "I can't go in there on my own!"

Cris and Mer held their ground, their expressions hinting at smugness.

"You know all the crap I've been through lately...it's just...she seems nice...and normal," Callie reconsidered, "well, besides the whole making a grown man cry, thing."

Cris and Mer shared a knowing glance.

"These are our terms. Admit you like her," Cristina simply said, "admit you think she's hot and that you're dragging us there as an excuse to check her out...and we'll go with you."

Callie started to object, but quickly accepted defeat. "Fine! You win...yes, I think she's hot and I'm going to this class to check her out...and I really need you for back-up. So please, can we go now? We're going to be late!"

Cristina gestured for the three of them to continue. "Lead the way," she said, "but I'm telling you right now, if some guy tries to throw me down on the floor, I'm gonna haul off and kick him in the nuts!"

Meredith and Callie laughed at this very truthful statement all the way down the street.

...

Callie took one last deep breath in as she ushered her friends inside the small converted storefront. They were greeted by a young asian woman sitting at a desk by the front door.

"Good evening," she warmly greeted them, "Is this your first time here?"

Callie spoke up. "Yes, hi, we were referred by Dr. Robbins." Callie gestured to the duffle bags they were carrying. "We brought some sweats to change into."

"Okay, great!" The woman responded. "Most of the evening students are here already, so if you will please remove your shoes, you can head downstairs to the change rooms."

The girls smiled back nervously and shuffled off their footwear. They turned to make their way down the stairs, when the woman happily called after them, "Oh, yes, and welcome to Pacific Dojo!"

A few late students hurried around them, pulling on their uniforms and belts with practiced ease as Callie, Cris and Mer entered the locker room and began to change into their sweat pants and t-shirts, and pulled their hair into tight ponytails. Finally ready, they proceeded up the stairs, Callie urging the other two to hurry up before class started without them. They followed one of the regulars down a hallway which opened up into large room at the end. The walls were white, yet anything but bare. All around were hung large colourful canvases, paintings mostly of nature and landscapes, as well as Japanese calligraphy. One entire length of wall was mirrored, floor to ceiling, and the floor was bright lacquered pine. The room was well lit and bounding with energy from the students doing their own warm up before class started.

Callie, Cris and Mer stood at the back and watched the scene before them. The class of about twenty seemed to be pretty even with men and women. Ages ranged from older teens to people in their sixties. They were all wearing a white gi, but the belt colours varied from white to yellow to green, and then a few black belts. Callie quickly scanned the room looking for Arizona, but she wasn't there. She began to get very nervous. _Maybe she's just a bit late...I hope. God, what if she doesn't come tonight! _

Callie concentrated on watching the black belts. She was instantly fascinated. Their movement seemed so focused, so in control. Not unlike Arizona the other night.

One of them caught Callie's eye, stopped what she was doing, and walked over.

"Hi, welcome. I'm Joanne. Looks like this is your first time here?" she enquired.

Callie looked to her friends, but they had moved away to a corner of the room and were standing idly, whispering to each other and pointing at a couple of the more attractive guys in the class.

_So much for back-up. "_Yeah, we are..." she pointed at her friends, "we...I've...never done anything like this before."

The woman nodded her understanding. "It's okay. Why don't you just begin your own warm up for now, then we do a proper one at the start of every class. The sensei will be out soon." With that she turned and walked back to join the other black belts.

Cris and Mer scurried back to Callie as soon as the woman left. "What did she say to you?" Cris asked, " And, by the way, I don't see you're hottie doctor anywhere...are you sure you got the day right?"

"Yes I'm sure!" Callie hissed at them. Then, softening, said, "She _should_ be here, unless maybe she got stuck at work..." Callie scanned the room again. Nope, still nothing. "That woman said we should start our own warm up."

Cris nudged Mer in the ribs as she pointed to one of the men they were checking out moments earlier. "Well, maybe we can get him to warm us up, eh, Mer?"

Meredith snorted with laughter. Several others in the room turned to look at the three of them. Callie almost died of embarrassment as she poked both of them in the arm and begged her friends to try and behave.

Suddenly the focus in the room shifted as two people entered from a small back room Callie hadn't noticed earlier.

She almost died again, this time not from embarrassment. From sheer arousal.

Arizona strode into the room deep in conversation with an elderly Japanese man. He stopped, patted her on the arm, then continued out through the room, responding in kind to the bows of respect he was given by all of the students.

Callie's position at the back of the room allowed her to observe Arizona before she was seen. The blonde was dressed in a white gi, the same as the others, her well worn black belt snugly secured around her trim waist. Her wavy blonde tresses were pulled back in a loose ponytail, her face was slightly flushed, and though she wore not a stitch of makeup, Callie thought she looked absolutely stunning.

Callie was so focused on watching Arizona, she hadn't noticed that the students had quickly moved to form two lines, side by side, across the room, all facing Arizona. Panicking slightly, she looked around for Cris and Mer, then moved to join them against the back wall.

Joanne barked a command in Japanese to the class, and on cue they all dropped to their knees, heads down. Arizona moved to kneel as well, then something caught her attention, and she smiled.

Arizona spotted Callie, and her heart leapt at the sight. How could it not? The brunette was completely out of her element, and was so adorably nervous. Arizona locked eyes with Callie for just a second, and smiled warmly at her. She stood up fully and weaved her way through the lines of kneeling students to greet the woman she was hoping to see tonight.

"Calliope!" she almost sang, though she kept her voice low. "You made it!" She placed a gentle hand on Callie's right arm. "And I see you brought some friends, that's great!" She stuck out her hand to Cris and Mer. "Hi, Arizona Robbins, very nice to meet you."

"Oh, right..." Callie began, "You probably haven't met each other yet. This is Cristina Yang and Meredith Grey. They're residents at the hospital too."

"Well, I'm glad you all could make it tonight. This is a good first class to come to, there's a lot of novice students. " She leaned into Callie and whispered, "Don't worry about being new. We've all been there at some point." Arizona pulled back again and looked at the three of them. "We start every class in the traditional manner, so for now why don't you just hang back here until warm up starts, okay?"

Once again, Callie found herself nodding mutely at the beautiful blonde. Arizona winked at her, then spun around and made her way back to the front of the room, kneeling to join the rest of the students on the floor as they began the ritual of bowing, meditation and offering respect to all karateka, past, present and future.

"You didn't tell us she was the _sensei_!" Cris and Mer both whispered, slightly shocked.

"I didn't know...I _swear_!" Callie whispered back. "Let's just wait back here until they're done." She began to kneel down and pulled them both to the floor with her.

They sat for only a few minutes, until Joanne barked another few commands, and the class all rose as one, turned to bow to the person on their right, then they all faced forward and bowed to Arizona once again. She returned their sign of respect, but this time kept her head up slightly and looked across the room at the brunette while trying desperately to hide the elated grin forming on her lips. Arizona then looked to Joanne and nodded, and as she stepped away to the side of the class, Joanne moved up front and began to put Callie, Cris and Mer and the rest of the class through the warm up drills.

The students fanned out to give themselves room to move and stretch, beginning with every major joint in the body such as neck and shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers, then hips, thighs, knees, and ankles. This was followed by jumping jacks to get the blood pumping, then push ups and sit ups to work various muscle groups. All told, it was about fifteen minutes of the most strenuous exercise Callie had had in quite some time. It didn't help that she swore she could feel Arizona's penetrating blue eyes on her the whole time. She tried to pay attention to the warm up, but found her own eyes wandering as she watched Arizona move through the class, stopping to adjust the form of some of the newer students. She felt an irrational jealousy when she noticed Arizona's hand settle on someone's arm or knee as she, kindly, pointed out their flawed technique. Arizona made her way to the back of the class and across the room to Cris and Mer, stopping to encourage Cristina to actually make some sort of effort to stretch. She knew right away they weren't serious about the class and guessed that they had only come as a favour to Callie. Since that's what good friends did for each other, she couldn't really be anything but amused by it.

Arizona finally turned to look full on at Callie, taking in the brunette's form as she watched her keep up pretty well with the rest of the class. Arizona noticed the deep pink flush of Callie's face and neck and the tiny beads of sweat that gathered and trickled down her forehead. It was mesmerizing, and Arizona had to mentally chastise herself to concentrate on the class. Although Callie's form was nearly perfect, Arizona couldn't resist the opportunity for physical contact, so she stepped close behind the brunette and lightly placed both hands on Callie's waist.

Callie was having a hard enough time catching her breath from the exercise, so when she felt Arizona at her back she nearly stopped breathing altogether. Arizona leaned into Callie and applied slight pressure to her hip bone, causing Callie to gasp with a mixture of shock and delight.

"Breathe, Calliope...it's important to breathe," Arizona urged, her face mere inches from Callie's heady scented and glowing skin. The urge to kiss the brunette's neck right then and there was almost overwhelming, and for just a fleeting moment, there was no one else in the room, no one else in the universe, except Arizona and Callie.

As quick as the moment came, however, it was gone again when Arizona remembered that she had a job to do. She pulled away from the brunette, and made her way to the front of the class just as the warm up was ending. She chanced a quick glance in Callie's direction again, and noted the brunette hadn't moved from the position she held when Arizona had touched her. Arizona turned to Joanne and asked her to separate the class, running basic block and punch drills with the lower belts and with the three newcomers, while she would take the black belts and work on their more advanced training.

Callie was disappointed upon hearing Arizona's plan for the class, but accepted that there were many other people in the room who needed the sensei's attention as well. Though, none of them _wanted_ it as badly as Callie did...well, almost none.

And so that's the way the remainder of the class went. Callie was surprised by how much she actually enjoyed learning the various beginner's blocks and punches. She was amazed too, to discover how equally beautiful and logical the movements were, especially given her extensive knowledge of the human body's bone and joint structure. At every opportunity, though, she would steal a glance in Arizona's direction, and was awed by the quiet authority the blonde held over women who were twice her age and men who were twice her size. They watched her as if she held some ancient and rare secret that they desperately wanted to be privy to. Callie looked on as Arizona almost effortlessly used a much larger man's own size and weight against him as he attempted an attacking manoeuvre against her. When he pulled himself up from the sprawled position on the floor, she slowly demonstrated it again, this time making sure he and the others understood what she had done, and then encouraged them to practice carefully with each other. The image of the cute, bubbly paeds surgeon rolling down the hall in her Heely's contrasted sharply with the strong, fluid, fierce, yet kind woman Callie was watching now, and it was an incredible turn on. As Arizona looked over to the other half of the class, she caught Callie's eye and winked again. Callie smiled back, then tried to tune back in to what Joanne had been showing them.

Unfortunately, the discreet exchange between the two was not missed by Arizona's assistant, Joanne, and when the realization hit her, she was hurt, and took an instant dislike to Callie. Joanne had been trying to get close to Arizona for months, giving up extra nights each and every week to be her second in class, and helping her set up for different promotional events such as organizing the dojo's participation in the city's annual karate tournament. She loved karate, that was true, and believed in it's principles, but all the extra work she did was for Arizona alone. Now it seemed someone else may have captured the blonde's attention and Joanne was furious with herself for taking too long to make her intentions known. Now, it seemed, it might be too late.

Soon, the hour was up, and Joanne regained her composure enough to call the class to order. This time, the elderly man from earlier, who had been watching the end of the session, interrupted, and gestured for Callie, Mer and Cris to join the rest of the class in the meditation."You have studied with karateka, in turn you are now karateka yourselves," he told them.

As the ritual ended, the students began to quickly file out, all stopping in turn to first bow to Arizona, then to the elderly man, both of whom again returned the gesture. Callie, Cris and Mer held back and waited until all but Joanne had left. Arizona walk quickly to Callie and greeted her with a wide dimpled smile and shining blue eyes.

"You did great tonight, Calliope! You're a real natural. You have good balance, and great form...I mean...I really hope you consider coming again." She looked over Callie's shoulder at Mer and Cris, who were goofing off, shadowboxing each other and badly mimicking the blocks and punches they had just learned. "Not sure about those two..." she began warily.

Callie spun around, and rolled her eyes when she saw what they were up to. "Yeah, they probably won't be back," she turned her attention back to Arizona, "but I had a great time! I mean...I learned a lot..." She was fumbling now and couldn't stop herself. "I guess I shouldn't say I had fun...I wasn't trying to be disrespectful...should I bow to you now?"

"No! It's okay!" Arizona giggled, her eyes furtively scanning Callie's face, darting from dark eyes to full red lips, back to dark eyes. Strong and fierce was replaced by cute and bubbly again. "I'm just happy to see you...I mean I'm glad you decided to give it a chance." Her tone became a little more apprehensive, and she paused, then asked, "So, I'll see you again then, Calliiope?"

Maybe it was adrenaline from the exercise, maybe it was the promise and excitement of a new discovery, an awakening of the body and mind she hadn't felt for quite some time, or maybe it was the attention this very beautiful and desirable woman was giving her, but, whatever the reason, Callie felt herself stand just a little taller, a little straighter, than she had in weeks. She backed away smoothly from the questioning blonde, and flashed her the most radiant smile she could manage.

"You will _definitely_ see me again, Arizona!"

...

Okay not totally thrilled with this chapter, but at some point you just have to let it go, right? What do folks think? Was Arizona, as the sensei, believable? Did anyone predict it?


	4. Chapter 4

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

Chapter 4

A/N – Okay, first, a thousand apologies for not updating sooner. If anyone can think of a way to turn reading fan fiction into a full time, well paying job, please let me know. Seriously. Until that happens, I guess I'll just have to keep showing up to mine. Geez. :) Second, and most important, a HUGE thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read, and to review. I really get a kick out of hearing people's thoughts, especially about sensei Arizona. Seems I'm not the only one who finds the thought of her as a gentle badass intriguing.*smirk* Anyway, on with the story...

...

On Friday morning, Callie woke with a renewed self-confidence. She felt hopeful about the day, and was excited to get to the hospital, and just maybe happen to run into a a certain kid doctor again. Callie went straight to the surgery board to check out her, and Arizona's, schedule for the day.

"Crap," Callie frowned. Arizona was booked for several surgeries, while her own time in the O/R was relatively light. "Gonna be a looong day," she muttered.

Several times Callie had to fight the urge to sneak into the gallery to watch the lovely doc at work. She really wanted to catch a glimpse of her, but was afraid of seeming too eager. She knew from experience where that got her. _Nonononono, you will not stalk her in the O/R. You will wait until the two of you can have a face to face conversation._

Around midday, Callie joined Cristina in line at the cafeteria, and absently nodded as her roommate moaned for the hundredth time about her lack of surgery time. They paid and, trays in hand, turned to find somewhere to sit.

"And so anyway, I was telling Mer that I think her..." Cristina stopped when she realized she no longer had an audience. She turned to Callie, who had stopped a few feet back, and was staring off to the left at a table across the room, her face transfixed with an unrestrained grin.

Cris merely rolled her eyes. "Oh god." She marched back to Callie's side, and leaned in to whisper. "Okay, go. But, beware...the force is strong with that one," she deadpanned, then nudged Callie forward with her elbow.

Callie's feet moved as far as the momentum from Cris' shove would carry her, then stopped. Her grin disappeared as self doubt quickly took hold. Callie watched as Arizona sat alone at her table, absently flipping through a magazine while munching on carrot sticks.

_She's too pretty. She's too talented. She's too...perfect. Why the hell would she be interested in you, ya dope! Walk away now, before anyone gets hurt. _

Callie stood in place, held by a mix fear, anxiety and indecision.

_Deep breath, Callie, you can do this. Just try having a normal conversation with the woman. See where it goes._

Callie got her feet moving again, and tried to calm her nerves as she approached Arizona's table.

"Mind if I sit here?" she asked, sounding _way_ more casual than she felt.

Arizona looked up immediately at the sound of the voice she would know anywhere. Her shoulder length blonde curls framed her face as she smiled widely at Callie, unable to mask her genuine delight at seeing the brunette again.

"Of course not, Calliope, please..." she pulled out a chair for the brunette, "sit with me."

Arizona closed the magazine, giving Callie her full attention. They smiled at each other, neither one sure where to start.

"Sooo..." Callie began, "how's your day going so far?" She drummed her fingers nervously against the tabletop.

Arizona felt a wave of relief when she realized Callie was just as anxious as she was.

"My day is going quite well, thanks for asking. Busy though. How 'bout you?" Arizona asked her.

"I'm good," Callie replied. "Not as busy as you are."

Arizona raised an eyebrow and turned her head to the side in a teasing gesture. "Keeping tabs on me, Dr. Torres?" she asked playfully.

"No!" Callie's eyes went wide and she stumbled over herself to clarify. "No, I just saw your name on the board when I came in and it looked like you were booked for the O/R all day...and...you're just teasing me, aren't you?" Callie looked on as Arizona had rested her chin in her hand, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"Two can play at that game, Dr. Robbins."

Callie pointed at some fruit that the blonde had brought from home. "May I?" she asked, and without waiting for a response, Callie reached across the table and pulled out one of the large, ripe strawberries from Arizona's ziplock bag. She brought it to her own slightly parted lips, darting the tip of her tongue out just before taking half of it into her mouth. She held it there only an instant, enjoying the slightly stunned and mesmerized look on the blonde's face, before she took an agonizingly slow bite of the luscious berry. She darted out her tongue again to catch a drop of the red juice as it threatened to spill from the corner of her mouth.

Arizona mustered all of her considerable willpower to keep herself from capturing Callie's lips with her own right at that moment, and had to actually remind herself of their surroundings. She acquiesced and leaned back in her chair as Callie swallowed the last bite.

"Well played, Dr. Torres," she huffed playfully.

Satisfied she was on even ground again, Callie decided to return to keeping the conversation light.

"So, Arizona, why didn't you tell me you were the instructor...the sensei?" She smiled nervously, still a little uneasy with the word. "Sorry, I know it's just a rank, or whatever, but you are totally _not_ what I think of when someone says sensei! I think of...I don't know, Mr. Miyagi from Karate Kid, or something. Ridiculous right?"

Arizona took it in stride, and sat forward again. "No, not ridiculous." She smiled back at Callie, trying to put the brunette at ease. "It's a common misconception, but actually, sensei just means teacher. There are generally ten ranks of black belt, and one's dan, or rank, is usually representative of the number of years they've trained, and the knowledge and skill they've achieved. Most people can study their whole lives but will never get beyond a sixth dan." She paused. "It's really not all that different from the ranking system among surgeons."

"So what rank are you?" Callie asked.

"I'm a fourth dan," she replied plainly, "and I'm sorry that I didn't tell you I was the sensei." She looked down at the table, then back at Callie with a rueful grin. "I...I thought you might not come if you knew." Arizona hesitated. "Is it bad that I did that?" she asked, wincing slightly.

"No," Callie laughed back, placing a reassuring hand on Arizona's arm. "Not bad, just...unexpected, that's all." She kept her hand there longer than she needed to, before regretfully pulling away to lean back in her chair. "So," she continued, "how long have you been studying karate?"

Arizona took a second to recover from the lost contact, then sat back in her chair as well, fiddling with the magazine in front of her.

"I started when I was about thirteen, I think. My parents actually forced me to go, since I was getting into so many fights at school. They thought I needed something to teach me how to control my anger, I guess." She shrugged absently. "It worked. Being an army brat, we moved around a fair bit, so sometimes I had to learn a new style if there wasn't a dojo in the area that taught the one I was used to, but I adapted pretty well."

Callie was still stuck on the image of Arizona fighting in the school yard. She had to ask. "I'm sorry, I just can't picture you as the school troublemaker. What did you fight about?"

Arizona smiled. "Yeah, I thought you might ask that." She paused, recalling twenty years go like it was last week. "I didn't pick fights, people...other girls mostly...picked fights with me, because I knew early on I was gay."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Arizona carried on.

"Anyway, I ended up really enjoying it, and when I started medical school, and then residency, it helped me to deal with the stress and long hours. The thing is, karate training requires complete focus of mind and body, otherwise you could easily get hurt, or worse, hurt someone else."

She shrugged again. "So, when I'm in the O/R for long periods at a time, I find it easier to concentrate and to stay calm when things go wrong."

Arizona took a quick glance at her watch, and though she regretted it very much, stood up as she informed Callie that she was due in surgery shortly. Arizona looked at the brunette and asked, "So, Callie, do you really think you might come to another class? I mean if you didn't like it you don't have to..."

"Yeah, I think maybe I could be persuaded," Callie responded with a flirty smile. "When are you teaching again?"

Arizona grinned back. "Well, tonight actually. I don't usually on a Friday but the guy who does it is away on vacation, so I promised him I'd fill in." She got excited. "Oh! And tonight's class is for beginners only, so just white belts. It's a great one for you to come to!"

She looked down at her watch again.

"I'm sorry Callie, I really have to scoot...So, tonight then? Seven o'clock?"

Callie grinned back widely at the adorable blonde, and nodded once. "Seven o'clock. It's a date, Dr Robbins."

...

Callie was excited to return to the dojo, but was more excited at the prospect of continuing the playful banter she and Arizona had shared during lunch. She pulled open the door and smiled again at the same young woman sitting at the desk, phone receiver in one hand and writing furiously with the other. She looked up and stopped when she saw Callie.

"Dr. Torres," the woman called, just as Callie had slipped off her shoes and was about to sneak past her to go downstairs to change into her sweats. Callie stopped, and turned back, and saw that the woman was holding out a fresh new uniform for her, still in it's plastic wrapping. "Sensei Arizona wanted you to have this. She said you might be back tonight." The woman smiled fondly at her. "If the size is not good, please let me know and I'll find another one."

Callie smiled back, a little stunned at the generous offering. She graciously accepted the gi, and continued on down to the change rooms.

As Callie began to undress, she discretely watched the two other women in the room as they pulled on their gi and tied their white belts around their waist. When they were gone, Callie quickly finished undressing down to her bra and undies, and had just managed to yank the loose fitting pants up around her waist when Arizona breezed into the room.

She stopped short when she saw Callie's almost half naked body in front of her.

"Woah..." was all she could manage.

Callie spun 'round at the sound behind her and stood, not sure if she should be embarrassed or aroused by the look of unmasked desire pooling in Arizona's suddenly dark blue eyes.

Seconds passed. Neither said a word. Finally, Callie cleared her throat.

"Arizona," she began. Still no response. "Not that I mind...but...you're staring."

It took a moment, but Callie could see something click as Arizona tore her gaze up from Callie's bra clad breasts to meet the brunette's eyes.

Arizona was beyond mortified by her own behaviour. "Oh my god. Callie, I'm _so_ sorry...I...I...I just wasn't expecting to see you, you know, half naked."_ Oh god, I need to stop talking. _"I mean I know this is a change room and everything, but, I could at least show a little _decorum_, I mean..."

Callie watched Arizona's self imposed reprimand with amusement. She calmly reached her arms into the sleeves of the double breasted jacket, shrugged it over her shoulders, and began to fiddle with the various inside ties, trying to figure out the proper way to secure it around her waist. She suddenly felt Arizona move in close and looked up to see a shy smile gracing the blonde's delicate features.

"Here," Arizona said quietly, "let me help you with that." She kept her eyes down, intentionally avoiding the brunette's silent, prodding gaze. She finished tying together the small strings, then reached down and picked up the last piece of the uniform. She leaned into Callie's body as she wrapped the belt twice around the brunette's waist, then quickly tied the two ends together in a way that was too fast for Callie to catch.

Arizona paused as she held onto Callie's belt for a moment longer, lingering, her head still down, still refusing to make eye contact. Then she exhaled loudly, took a small step back, and finally looked up to meet the brunette's questioning eyes.

"I guess I'll meet you upstairs, if that's okay," Arizona said, her voice wavering just slightly. Her senses were on fire and she needed a few minutes alone to compose herself before class.

"Okay." Callie smiled as she slid around the blonde and pulled open the dressing room door. "Oh, and Arizona," Callie called, causing the blonde to turn in place, "thanks so much for the uniform...it's a perfect fit."

Arizona slowly changed into her gi. When she looked at the clock, she scrambled up the stairs as she realized class was due to start. She knew Joanne would have taken control of the group and already have them lined up for the meditation. It came as no small surprise when Arizona discovered that not only was the class not lined up, but that Joanne was nowhere in sight. Granted, Friday was not a normal teaching day for them, but last week, when Arizona asked her if she would mind helping out, Joanne had seemed quite happy to oblige.

_Hmm. No matter. It's not a big group, I can manage by myself._

Arizona chanced a quick look in Callie's direction as she walked to the front of the class. The student's low chatter stopped when they saw her and they all moved to form a single horizontal line.

Callie joined them at the end and mimicked their actions as Arizona called out the commands to sit, _seiza_, meditate, _moko-so_, finish meditation, _moko-so yamae_, bow, _rei_, and so on.

Arizona slowly and patiently drilled the students in the basic blocks, kicks and punches that all beginners must learn. She had them partner up and urged them to practice the drills with each other, stressing technique over speed and power. Arizona directed them that at no time should they actually make contact with their training partner, that the goal was to learn self control.

She chuckled inwardly at the helplessly awkward and uncoordinated students, making a mental note to herself to see that they received extra attention the next class when she had help. She marvelled at the ones, such as Callie, who seemed to be soaking it all up like a sponge. Arizona gave each student a few minutes of one on one time, stepping in to become their training partner. She smiled to herself when she got around to Callie.

"Okay, Calliope," Arizona said teasingly, stepping in to face the brunette, "I hear you like to break bones and everything, but let's just take this slow, okay?"

Callie shot her a raised eyebrow and a flash of a smile, then raised her hands to the defensive position she had been practising.

"Yes, sensei."

...

I'm not sure why, but I had a _really_ hard time with this chapter, which is why it took so long to post. I kept writing content then deleting it. Have you ever felt disconnected from something you've written? That's how I feel about this chapter. Not my best work, sorry, but I'll do better. On a side note, it doesn't help that I've become mildly obsessed with a new blonde t.v. doc, namely one Dr. Maura Isles. If you haven't checked out any Rizzoli and Isles fics yet, I strongly recommend it. Quite a few very talented writers over there...kind of makes me feel like all I do is randomly punch out buttons on the keyboard. Sorry...self pity is very unattractive. I'll get over it. :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

Chapter 5

A/N – Here's the new instalment. Kinda short, but I wanted to post it quickly. Thank you to my faithful readers, especially those who pm'd me about the whole 'disconnected from the story ' thing. I really appreciated your feedback, and it helped a lot.

...

Callie leaned forward in her chair, trying to get a closer look at Bailey's handiwork. She debated moving to the front row of the nearly deserted surgery gallery, but stayed put instead. It seemed silly to move now, when the procedure was almost done. Just her and a doctor's who's name she didn't know. Miranda could remove a person's gall bladder with her eyes closed. Callie had seen her do it about a hundred times. There was something oddly reassuring about watching the smaller woman operate. She wasn't the flashiest or the fastest, but you knew she was going to do it correctly. No scalpels left behind in any of her patients. No missed bleeds or ruptures. Slow, and methodical. Textbook. Comforting.

Callie lifted her legs to rest them on the seatback in front, and leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. She shifted her torso a little lower in the seat. The room was cool and dark. Maybe a good place to take a much needed nap. She got very little sleep on the weekend, but that tends to happen when you can't be around the person you're crushing on. Her mind had been on overdrive since Friday's class.

"Gall bladder, huh?" a voice asked. "Pretty intense stuff."

Callie cranked open one eye to peek at the new occupant of the room. She smiled. "Yeah, you know...not as hardcore as _paeds_, or anything, but Bailey's rockin' it."

Arizona discreetly looked down at Callie's almost horizontal position, admiring the way it elongated her body, then sat beside her, their arms pressing together lightly on the shared armrest.

"How was your weekend?" the blonde asked. _If it was anything like mine...torturous, long and lonely without you._

"S'okay, I guess," Callie shrugged back. _I missed you a lot and I really want to tell you that._

"You weren't in class last night," Callie said. "I thought you normally teach Monday's class." She tried desperately to hide her disappointment at Arizona's unexpected absence.

Arizona looked at Callie with slight remorse. "I'm really sorry about that. You're right...I do normally teach on Monday's, but I got stuck in emergency surgery with one of my appendicitis kids, and I just couldn't get away." She paused. "I was looking forward to seeing you, too."

"It's okay, Arizona. I get it. Believe me, you don't have to apologize," Callie told her. "It's just...I don't know...I prefer when you teach the class. You're not mean to me."

Arizona's eyes went impossibly wide. "_Mean?_" she questioned, her voice a little louder than she intended.

The other doctor cleared his throat as he got up and quietly excused himself from the room.

They silently watched him leave.

Arizona turned back quickly to face Callie.

"What are you talking about, Callie?" she asked. "Was someone _mean_ to you in class last night?"

Callie pulled her legs off the chair in front and thumped her feet onto the floor. She sat up in her seat. "I guess mean isn't the right word...just...she has a crush on you, you know that right?"

Arizona was lost. She shook her head. "_Who_ has a crush on me?" _You're the only one I want._

Callie turned fully to face the blonde. She narrowed her eyes skeptically at Arizona.

"Joanne does, Arizona."

She watched with amusement as the blonde's face went blank.

"Sh...she does?" Arizona quietly asked after a few seconds.

Callie nodded slowly, smiling broadly at the baffled woman. "You _have_ to have _noticed_. I could tell the first day I was there."

Arizona's mind worked to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Joanne's eagerness to help her out, endless hours spent together in class, stray glances in the change room that Arizona had unconsciously chosen to dismiss. It finally made sense.

"Huh," she responded. "I think you must be right. But how could I have not seen it before?"

"Maybe you just weren't looking for it." Callie hesitated. "I assume the feeling is not mutual..."

"No..." Arizona absently shook her head, then registered what Callie was actually asking. "No! Callie, honestly. Definitely not...mutual." She laid her hand on Callie's arm and leaned in to whisper, even though they were alone in the room. "Besides, brunettes are more my type..." she teased.

"Yeah?" Callie asked, her voice low as she leaned in closer to the blonde, eyes glancing swiftly from blue eyes to pink lips. Her eyelids began to flutter closed.

"Wait. What did you mean, she was _mean_ to you?"

_Dammit. Almost. _Callie leaned back in her chair and sighed.

"Not so much mean, I guess, I just felt like she was being harder on me than the other students."

"But...can you give me an example?" Arizona looked a bit distressed. "I've never seen her act like that...ever...and I would hate to think that one of my students...you especially...was being treated unfairly in class!"

Distress was slowly turning into anger.

Callie tried to pacify her. "It's okay, Arizona. I'm fine...really. She just singled me out a few times when I did something wrong, and...I guess kinda got mad once or twice when I asked her a question about one of the blocks. She said I should know it by now." Callie tried to make light of it. "You know, I can't blame her. She clearly does like you, and you've given _me_ more personal attention than any of the other white belts. So I guess she sees me as a threat...as competition."

"Well, still..." the blonde stated, shaking her head, her loose ponytail swinging side to side. "I'll have to talk to her, of course..." Arizona began.

"God no! Please don't do that. Can't we just let it go?" Callie pleaded. This conversation wasn't turning out how she had envisioned it.

She decided to switch tactics.

"Actually," she wondered aloud, "I was thinking that..." she paused, her already velvety voice taking on a decidedly flirtatious tone, "maybe a little one on one time might help to improve my..._technique_." She let the last word hand in the air, and it's suggestive nature made Arizona melt.

"Why, Dr. Torres..." Arizona played along, "are you asking your sensei for some..._personal_ _instruction_?"

Callie leaned in, the corners of her mouth turning up in a mischievous smile, savouring the moment she had been thinking about all weekend. She licked and parted her lips slightly, and her body shuddered imperceptibly when she saw Arizona's pupils dilate. Arizona dreamily whispered Callie's name as she placed a light hand on the brunette's cheek, gently pulling their faces together for the moment they so desperately wanted.

Callie got an odd feeling as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She briefly shifted her gaze from Arizona's waiting lips to the gallery window, and felt the cold hard motionless stare of Dr. Miranda Bailey gazing up at them.

_Busted!_

Callie cleared her throat and pulled back from Arizona, still suspended in mid kiss, unaware of the attention they had garnered.

_Miranda, I love you, but man, are you gonna get an earful from me today!_

"Umm...Arizona?" Callie whispered, then repeated it a little louder. "_Arizona_!"

The blonde reacted, and quickly opened her eyes.

Callie gestured towards the window. "Maybe this isn't the best place for this...conversation."

"Oh, right," Arizona giggled. She was too new to know about the wrath of Dr. Bailey yet.

They stood up quickly, Arizona giving a friendly little wave to the smaller woman below. Callie swore she could hear Miranda growling through the window pane.

Callie ushered them both from the room and closed the door behind her. They stood in the hallway feeling a little like guilty teenagers caught making out behind the school.

Arizona kicked at a scuff mark on the floor. She leaned against the wall and looked down the hall at nothing in particular. Turned her head and smiled back nervously at the brunette.

Callie thought the blonde's sudden shyness was beyond cute, and leaned in to tell her as much.

"You're adorable when you're nervous, you know that."

Arizona visibly relaxed as she laughed at herself. "Silly, right?"

"No," Callie answered, shaking her head as she tucked a stray curl back behind Arizona's ear, "just impossibly cute."

Arizona sighed and closed her eyes as she leaned in to Callie's touch.

"I was serious before, you know," Callie announced.

Arizona quickly opened her eyes.

Callie smiled and pulled back. She turned to lean back against the wall as well.

"About the extra lessons. If you're into it, I would really like some help with the blocks and stuff."

"OK...umm, how about tonight?" Arizona answered. "The last class gets out at 8, and everyone is usually gone by 8:30 or so." She chanced a quick glance down at Callie's full red lips once more, then continued. "Why don't you meet me around 8:45?"

Callie flattened her hands against the wall and pushed herself off. "I'll see you then..." Callie nodded as she turned to walk away, giving the blonde one last radiant smile before she left, "and try not to miss me too much in the meantime!"

_Yeah right. Not possible. _Arizona smirked and turned to make her way down the other end of the hall towards the bank of elevators.

...

I realize some of you may want to throttle me 'cause they haven't even kissed yet. Patience. It's coming, I promise.


	6. Chapter 6

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

Chapter 6

A/N - Wasn't sure how I was going to pull off their first kiss, then DeviantOrchid planted a little suggestion, and I went with it. So, thanks D.O.! This one's for you!

...

Callie practically ran down the darkened street, her gym bag banging against her hip as she moved. She was late, and worried that Arizona might think she had blown her off.

_Good excuse to ask for her number. I could have texted her if I had it._

Stopping in front of the dojo entrance, she took a few necessary calming breaths before wrenching open the heavy door. Inside it was dark and appeared deserted. Her face fell.

_Damn._

"Arizona?" she called out, quietly at first, then a little louder.

_She must still be here, otherwise the door would've been locked. Maybe downstairs?_

Callie removed her shoes and clutched her bag as she headed down the narrow staircase to the change room. She smiled when she saw a familiar pair of tall black low-heeled boots tucked neatly under the bench and dark jeans and a light blue top hanging from a hook on the wall. She laid her bag on the floor, and, stealing a quick glance back to the door, reached out and gingerly touched the fabric of the silk blouse. It was soft and lightly scented. Decidedly feminine. And incredibly sexy. Callie smirked to herself as she shook her head to try and stop the thoughts that began to take shape. She quickly changed into her gi and ran up the stairs to find Arizona.

The light in the training room was dimmed, but Callie could hear muffled sounds coming from the back room of the dojo. She padded over to the doorway and peeked inside.

Arizona was luminous. The light sheen of sweat covering her face and arms almost glowed in the darkened room, lit only by bright moonlight streaming in through the single window. She was moving with a determined but unfamiliar purpose, which appeared to Callie to be a bit like the tai chi she had seen a few seniors practising in the park behind her building. Callie stood silently, respectfully, and watched until Arizona reached a natural conclusion, then bowed to her imagined opponent.

Callie cleared her throat.

"Arizona, that was beautiful," she said as she stepped inside the smaller room. "What were you doing?"

Arizona was aware of Callie's presence long before the brunette announced herself, so she wasn't startled at all.

"It's called _heian shodan_. It's the first kata I learned, and I'm going to teach it to you tonight."

Callie stepped further into the room and looked around to get her bearings. The floor was laid out with throwing mats and there were two stand up punching bags in the far corner, and an assortment of boxing gloves and protective head gear neatly piled up beside it.

"Kata?" Callie asked, her tone uncertain as she turned her attention back to the smaller woman.

Arizona smiled. "It's a fighting pattern designed to simulate a defence against one or more opponents." She stepped closer to Callie. "It teaches you to move quickly with balance and power, and to think before you act, then to act with intent."

"It's looks pretty complicated...I'm not sure I can learn it all tonight," Callie replied.

Arizona smiled as she reached out for Callie's belt and began to untie it. The brunette was startled but made no attempt to stop her.

"Baby steps, Calliope, baby steps." She dangled Callie's clean white belt before her. "Like learning the proper way to tie your belt." She wrapped it twice around Callie's waist and held out the two ends to the brunette. "You take these and I'll explain how to do it. Then you'll always know."

With her newly secured belt around her waist, Callie happily followed the blonde back to the main training room. Arizona flicked on a few switches and Callie squinted as half the room was flooded with light.

"We won't need all the lights on to train, and I don't want anyone to think the dojo's open... besides..." Arizona winked, "we've had our fair share of interruptions, wouldn't you agree?"

Before Callie could respond, Arizona had quickly jogged over to the centre of the room and motioned for Callie to stand beside her.

"Since it's just you and I tonight, Callie, we won't start how we usually do. We can be a _little_ less formal. We'll just bow to the room, and to each other, as a sign of respect, okay."

Callie simply nodded. She was putty in her hands whenever Arizona became assertive.

"First we'll start with a warm up, then we'll work on your blocking and kicks, and then I'll teach you the kata." Arizona spun around to face Callie. "Now," she grinned, "bow to your sensei, and we can begin."

Callie complied, her eyes wide as she tried to stifle a laugh.

After the warm up, Arizona motioned for Callie to face her. "Okay, so_ traditionally, _a karate-ka doesn't ask questions while in class, but tonight, stop me if there's something you don't know or want explained." She moved herself into a fighting position. "We're going to go over a lot of the basics tonight, such as stance, balance, breathing, and focus." She looked down at Callie's hands, still dangling by her sides. "Is that your reaction to someone who looks like they want to fight you, Callie? Hands up!" Arizona commanded. "Show me your front stance, your _zenkutsu dachi_."

Callie quickly drew her hands to her chin, each fist curled tight, with one arm slightly out in front of the other. She stepped forward with her left leg as she pivoted her upper body slightly to the right, but still facing Arizona. She remembered, thankfully, to bend her knees a little and space her feet apart to the same width as her shoulders. She quickly took a look down at her own body.

_Yep. It's right this time. I got everything right._

"You done yet?" Arizona asked her, trying to keep her amusement in check.

"Uh huh. Yep." Callie looked back up at Arizona.

"You're sure?"

Callie quickly did a mental checklist. Hands, arms, hips, knees, feet.

"Yep, I'm sure. I'm ready for you."

Arizona raised one eyebrow as she lightly grabbed Callie's unintentionally proffered left hand with her own. Arizona simply leaned back, changing her front stance to a back stance, and effortlessly pulled a bewildered Callie off balance and gently onto her knees.

As quickly as she put her down, Arizona pulled Callie up again.

"What happened?" Callie sputtered. "I did everything right that time...didn't I?"

"You did," Arizona responded, "except you couldn't see that your entire upper body was leaning forward." She smirked. "You were practically giving yourself to me, Callie."

Callie raised her eyebrows at the innuendo, and blushed.

She tried to regain her focus as she attempted the zenkutsu dachi again. This time her upper body was perfectly straight, and when Arizona tried to pull her off balance again, Callie didn't budge. The smile that plastered the brunette's face at that small victory was breathtaking, and this time it was Arizona's turn to blush.

They practised the basic stances a while longer. Arizona showed Callie how, defensively, it was key to be in the proper stance, as she blocked or avoided all of Callie's punches simply by shifting her weight or pivoting her hips. Callie was amazed. There was something almost geometric about it. The more she learned, the more she wanted to learn.

They moved on to kicking.

"Your legs can be used for defence or offence," Arizona began. "It can depend on the situation. But, since kicking requires one of your feet to leave the ground, proper balance of your whole body is very important, otherwise you could fall or be pulled down by your opponent."

She stepped away from Callie to give herself some room.

"Kicks are usually done fast and with a lot of power. If properly executed, a kick can be devastating. Target areas are generally the shin, the knee, the kidneys, the chest, the throat and the ear. I'll go slow to show you, then get you to follow along with me."

Arizona held her staggered fists out in front of her, looked right, as if at an imagined opponent, then quickly brought her right knee up in front of her body to waist height. She shifted her weight to her left leg and leaned her body slightly left as she snapped her right leg out from her hip with a force that surprised Callie. Just as quickly, Arizona pulled her leg back to the bent knee position, then smoothly placed her leg down on the ground as she shifted her balance back to the centre.

"That middle position...with the knee at ninety degrees," she demonstrated again for Callie, "is critical. I can execute a kick in any direction from that position." She explained each one as she performed it, front kick, side kick, back kick, high, and low, and not once did she have to place her foot back on the floor to keep from falling.

"Now, let's do it together...slowly." Arizona caught the double meaning after it had already escaped her lips, but just shook her head at her own awkwardness. After several almost falls, Arizona could see that Callie had found the point of balance required to not tip over.

"You're doing really well Callie, especially for a white belt. Usually I don't even begin to teach those kicks until a person gets their yellow."

Callie beamed as she tried another side kick. She liked those ones the best. "I have a great teacher," she shot back playfully.

Together they worked on improving Callie's blocking and punching, taking turns in the roll of attacker and defender. After a while, Arizona suggested they take a few minutes to rest and drink some water, then they could begin to work on Callie's first kata.

"I'll move to the centre of the room, Calliope, and demonstrate it all the way through one time, then we'll break it down into each step." She added, "As you watch, imagine that I'm fighting an opponent. Everything will make much more sense that way."

Callie silently nodded as she recapped her water bottle.

Arizona stepped forward with a quiet purpose. She stood perfectly straight, hands at her sides, feet together, head up, eyes focused directly ahead. She stood that way for a long moment, then dipped at the waist to bow to her imagined opponent. She snapped back up and yelled out, "Heian Shodan!"

Callie watched her movements with great fascination. Arizona was fast, and precise, and displayed more power than Callie had imagined the smaller woman to have. Twice Arizona yelled out during what, to Callie, looked like attacking blows. When it had concluded, Arizona again gathered herself and stood quietly, then bowed one final time, and relaxed her body.

She turned to Callie.

"That..." she gathered her breath, "is the first kata everyone learns. It's got all the blocks and punches and stances you've learned so far."

She could see the look of apprehension on the brunette's face.

"Come..." Arizona held out her hand, "we'll go slow, I promise."

And they did.

Callie tried to mimic each movement Arizona made, sometimes with success, a few times really badly and off balance, but by the fifth go through, even Callie had to admit to herself that she was doing okay. She found it really helpful to understand the purpose of a movement when she imagined an opponent. They shared a few lingering touches when Arizona would stop to correct Callie's stance or hand position, but nothing more meaningful than that.

By the end of the sixth time, they both were out of breath and needed a minute to rest again.

"Can you show me some of the really cool stuff you can do..." Callie took a chance, "you know, the throws and stuff?" She hesitated. "Are you allowed to do that?"

Arizona smiled and waggled her eyes at the brunette over her water bottle. She swallowed the last of it then recapped it and placed it on the floor.

"Come with me," she said, standing up and walking towards the back room.

Callie quickly followed.

"I'm not gonna throw you over my head, or anything like that...but I can show you a couple of my favourite blocks and take downs if you want."

"You have favourites?" Callie was surprised at the admission.

"Of course, most people do. Even you. I can tell already that you prefer the side kicks over the others, right?" Callie nodded as Arizona continued. "Well it's the same for me. Some of the blocks and take downs just feel so natural to me that it sets off little endorphins in my brain." She smiled at her own silliness. "Kind of like my own private fireworks."

Callie smiled back at her. _Sweet jesus, how adorable can this woman get?_

"So that's why we're in here," Arizona explained. "So you won't get injured when you end up on the floor."

"Pretty sure of yourself, there, Dr. Robbins," Callie teased as she lifted her fists to her chin and began to bounce lightly on the balls of her feet, ready for a fight.

Arizona bit her lip to keep from laughing at Callie's behaviour.

_God I could kiss her right now...okay...behave Arizona. Not here, ask her out first._

"Looks like someone needs to be taken down a peg," Arizona volleyed back playfully.

"You and what army?" Callie questioned. Bounce, air punch, bounce.

"That's a lotta talk, Torres. You got anything to back it up?"

"Try me..."

"You're the one looking for a fight..."

"Okay," Callie answered, moving forward, "here I co...ooof!"

Callie blinked twice as she looked up into Arizona's clear blue eyes, and wondered to herself how she ended up in that position. She wasn't hurt, well, not physically anyway. She accepted Arizona's extended hand as she stood up from the padded mat.

"Okay, what the _heck_? I didn't even see you _do_ anything and I ended up on the floor in, like, half a second."

Arizona chuckled at the brunette's mock outrage. "You're right, I didn't have to do much, 'cause you did it all for me, Callie." She motioned for her to set up in an attack position again. "See, you set up okay, but...come at me again...only slower this time so I can show you...you were off balance and you lead with your right arm and right leg."

Callie moved forward the same way she did before.

Arizona stopped her when they were in close proximity. "See, this is all I had to do," she said as she blocked Callie's punch with her open left palm, then stepped in close to Callie's body with her own right leg, placing behind Callie's leading leg, at the knee joint. After that it took almost no effort to force Callie off balance enough for her to fall backwards before she even really knew what was happening.

This time, Arizona held onto Callie's jacket, supporting the brunette's body as she lead her gently down to the floor. Arizona followed Callie to the mat with a soft thud, and found herself unable to tear away from the deep dark, wanting eyes staring back up at her.

_Now or never._

Arizona shifted herself over Callie's splayed body, and nestled one knee in between the brunette's legs. She gazed down at the woman beneath her. It was clear that both of them wanted this. Arizona placed one hand on the mat beside Callie's head, and used the other to gently smooth the flaps of Callie's ruffled gi. She trailed her eyes down the brunette's long torso, pinned beneath her, and marvelled at the soft curves she found there, clearly evident despite the heavy material covering them. Guiltily, she tore her eyes back up to Callie's face, fearful that she might be making the brunette uncomfortable with her brazen attention. She needn't have worried.

_Fireworks, indeed._

Callie studied the face hovering over her, even as Arizona's eyes were focused elsewhere. Scented, lightly damp, blonde curls that fell and tickled across Callie's cheek as Arizona moved her head. A nose as near cute and perfect as any she had ever seen. Eyes a hypnotic shade of blue she couldn't name. And a mouth, soft and supple and pink, now flush in one corner as Arizona bit down on it, her gaze still occupied by the body beneath her.

Arizona looked back into the impossibly dark eyes that had been studying her. A wordless moment passed, and then she leaned down, pressing her body lightly against Callie's as she took the brunette's lips in hers. They kissed, softly but fully, days, maybe weeks of yearning, suddenly fulfilled. Quiet moans of arousal began to escape their lips as Arizona settled her body fully onto Callie's, who enjoyed the feeling more than she could have ever guessed. The kiss deepened, and Callie's head spun.

And then it was gone.

Callie forced open her eyes to see a panting and highly aroused Arizona sitting back, resting on her own heels.

Callie propped herself up on her elbows. "What...are you okay? Why did you stop? That was incredible!"

Arizona nodded her head as she began to stand up. "It was. Incredible. And I don't want to stop."

She held out her hand and helped Callie up from the floor. "But that's the problem." She looked around the room. "It...this...can't happen _here_." She put her hands on her hips and took a step back from the brunette, lest her resolve fail her again. "Besides, we haven't even gone on a proper date yet...so..."

"Arizona..." Callie interrupted, "will you go out with me? This weekend? Say...Saturday, 'cause I know we both have it off...'cause I kinda, maybe, checked your schedule already." Callie huffed as she got it all out at once.

Arizona chuckled and shook her head as she moved towards the nervous brunette. "Well, I was gonna ask _you_ out just now...but, okay...yes Calliope, Saturday sounds wonderful." She wrapped her arms around the grinning woman. "Not sure if I can wait that long, though." She planted a light kiss against Callie's red lips, then pulled back again. "Guess that'll have to tide us over until then, huh?"

Callie outright pouted. "_So_ not fair, but yeah...I guess so."

"It's getting late and we're done for tonight, so why don't you head down and get changed and I'll tidy up and join you in a few minutes."

Callie looked around. The place was spotless.

"What do you have to tidy? I can help if you want."

"Calliope!" Arizona sighed and rubbed her face with her palm. "There's nothing to tidy...I just don't think I can _behave_ myself if we're both down there getting..._undressed_," she rolled her hand, "at the same time."

"Oh." Callie responded. "_Ohhh_...I get it, okay."

Several minutes later, bags in hand, Arizona turned the key in the lock as she pulled the dojo door closed. She walked over to Callie, leaning against a lamp post a few feet away, and wrapped her arm around her waist as they walked back to their cars.

Callie glanced around at the deserted streets and dark alleyways she had somehow never noticed before. Though, she was seeing a lot of things with new eyes now.

"Kinda not the greatest area, huh?" she said aloud.

"I'm not worried," Arizona playfully responded, nudging the brunette's hip with her own, "I know this really hot woman with a really badass side kick who can protect me!"

...

So, I know it wasn't graphic or anything, but...was *the kiss* worth the wait? I have something really fun (well _I_ think it'd be fun) planned for their first date. Gonna have to wait and see...


	7. Chapter 7

Walk Tall...by lilscout

Chapter 7

A/N – My goodness, this is a long one folks. Might want to clear your schedules, and, I hope the texting makes sense. I had so much fun imagining this chapter, and truly, I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather take Arizona on a first date if I was the lucky gal instead of Callie! Any divergent opinions on the matter? I'd love to hear other's ideas of a perfect first date with Cal or Az. In the meantime, on with the story...

...

Opposing schedules the rest of the week meant far too little personal interaction at work. As Arizona pulled the buzzing cell phone from her pocket, she smiled, already guessing who the text would be from. Callie had refused to divulge any details about their planned first date, choosing instead to tease Arizona through a series of cryptic messages.

**You're not afraid of heights, are you?**

Arizona smiled, and quickly typed a response.

**Not really, no. Kinda depends.**

She got an immediate reply.

**Not really an answer, Arizona. :)**

**Well, Callie, if you would just tell me where we're going on the date, I could give you a more accurate answer. :)**

**No details, I told you already. I want it to be a surprise.**

**Fine. I'm pouting now, are you happy? ;)**

**Very...have a good day at work! ;D**

The next day, Arizona stepped into an empty on call room when she saw she had another text from Callie.

**You might want to bring a swimsuit with you.**

Arizona smirked to herself, then responded.

**Bikini or one piece?**

Callie's reply was immediate.

**Whatever you prefer.**

**Which would you rather see me in? **

**Do you _really_ have to ask? ;D Have a good day Arizona. **

Late Friday night, Arizona was settled on the couch watching a movie when her phone buzzed again. She hadn't heard from Callie all day, and was unsure if she should just call on her own, since it was Callie who had initiated their little text sessions to begin with. Arizona practically launched herself off the couch and over to her kitchen counter.

**You should probably eat just a light breakfast tomorrow.**

She grinned and typed back quickly.

**Calliope! The suspense is killing me! Please tell me where we're going!**

**'Night Arizona. ;) Sweet dreams. I'll pick you up at 9am. **

**Totally not fair. :( Okay, 9am. BTW, I'm sooo excited about tomorrow. I wish it was here already. **

**Me too. And I can't wait to see you in a bikini.**

**Perv. ;) Anyway, how do you know I'm even wearing my bikini?**

**Okay then, I won't wear my bikini either. Too bad though, I just bought a new one. White. Very revealing. But, you're right, a one piece is better.**

**Gulp. Okay. Bikini it is...;) Though, I don't know how you can possibly expect me to get any sleep _now_! :) Sweet dreams to you too.**

...

For the first time in a long time, Arizona was up before her alarm. She showered, dressed and ate a light breakfast, as instructed. Coffee, a cinnamon bagel, and fruit. She looked at the clock. 7:38am.

_Crap. _An hour and twenty two minutes to go. She took a chance and picked up her phone.

**Okay, I'm ready to go. You can come over now.**

She stared at the phone, willing it to reply. It took a few minutes.

**Oh, you're a morning person. That could complicate things...;)**

**Ha! Very funny! Too late to back out now, Calliope. You're stuck with me for the day.**

**And I can't think of anything better. Okay, just let me pour some caffeine into me and grab a quick shower, and I'll be over.**

**I'll be waiting... :)**

An hour later Arizona swung open her apartment door just as Callie had been poised to knock.

"Hi! I'm ready!" Arizona was practically jumping up and down on the balls of her feet.

Call broke into a wide grin at the sight of the bubbly blonde in front of her.

"I can see that." Callie nodded her head as she took a second to peek behind Arizona at the entrance to the apartment. She quickly refocused. "Okay, then, let's get going."

Arizona pulled the door behind her and locked it, pocketing her keys.

"You know, I had a hard time deciding what to wear today, seeing as I _still_ don't know where we're going..." she stopped on the stairs, "is this okay?" She pointed to her sandals, cargo pants and shirt. "Oh! What about a jacket?" Arizona turned to run back up the stairs and was stopped by a hand on her arm.

"Arizona, stop. What you're wearing..." Callie's eyes flickered up Arizona's still body, and she smiled, "is perfect. Don't change a thing." She tugged on the hem of Arizona's shirt. "Let's get going." She pulled the questioning blonde down the stairs with her and out the door to the parking lot. "We've got a long drive ahead of us."

"Oooh, a long drive? Callie! Tell me!"

"Nope. Not yet..."

Callie unlocked and opened the passenger door of her car then hurried around the other side and climbed inside. She passed a tall Starbucks to her excited date.

"Here. Latte. Extra foam. I saw you drinking one before and took a chance." She grinned nervously.

Arizona accepted the warm drink as if it was liquid gold. She held the cup close to her nose, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply.

"Mmmm, smells amazing. Thank you, that's so thoughtful of you." She placed a hand on Callie's knee, and they locked eyes for a brief moment.

Callie smiled shyly as she turned the key in the ignition, bringing the car to life. "My pleasure, Arizona, really." Suddenly she realized Arizona didn't have a bag with her, and wondered if the blonde had forgotten it. "What about your swimsuit?" she asked. "Are you not bringing it?"

Arizona grinned back for a second before yanking down one side of the neck of her shirt, revealing a thin neon pink bikini strap. "I'm wearing it, Cal. _Remember_, no _details_...so I didn't know if there'd be anywhere to change into it." She tilted her head to the side in an inquisitive manner. "Would there have been anywhere to change, if I hadn't worn it?"

Callie grinned apologetically. "Yes, there would be, but actually, I wore mine too. Less to carry."

Arizona eyed Callie's neckline and shoulders pointedly. "Can I see it?" she asked.

"Nope. Gonna have to wait some more...sorry!" Callie teased, as Arizona sat back in her seat, arms crossed in a mock pout.

As they left the Seattle city limits and headed south, Callie began to have second thoughts about her plans for their first date. She was fascinated by the serious and commanding side of sensei Arizona, but really wanted to see more of the cheerful and bubbly blonde. She silently ticked off the criteria she had for their first date together.

Spend the day together. Outdoors. Something that will make her laugh, so I can see those dimples again. Food. A place we can talk. Somewhere fun. Somewhere...Arizona'ish'.

In the end, only one place made the short list.

Arizona quietly hummed with nervous anticipation in the seat next to Callie. Her eyes were darting everywhere, searching each sign they passed, hoping for some kind of clue.

As the car made the climb over the short hill ahead, she saw it, and then she knew.

"We're going to _Wild Waves_!" Her head whipped around, her ponytail smacking her in the face.

Callie laughed at Arizona's unrestrained enthusiasm. It was exactly the reaction she was hoping for.

"Yep," she answered, "we're going to Wild Waves."

"Oh my god, I've read about this place. Calliope! They have roller coasters and...and..." she began to recite from memory all the amusement park had to offer, "and bumper cars, and a _carousel_, and games, and a haunted house, and...a _huge _waterpark!"

She turned in her seat to face the brunette.

"Ha!" Arizona laughed out loud. "I get it now, all those clues you were sending me...but I never guessed we'd be coming here!"

"So," Callie enquired, trying to sound casual, "Good choice? You approve?"

Arizona leaned over and placed a soft kiss on Callie's cheek.

"I more than approve, Calliope. I'm thrilled, honestly! It couldn't _be_ more perfect."

She nodded to the road ahead as the giant winding steel rails of the Timberhawk loomed before them.

"Just...get us there faster, please!"

...

Callie took a park map from the greeter as they passed through the turnstile, both pausing long enough to get an unintelligible green stamp affixed to their hands.

Arizona could barely contain herself.

"What should we do first?" she asked, comfortably leaning in to Callie's body as they peered down at the colourful map together.

"Whatever you like, Arizona. The choice is yours." Callie leaned in for a quick peck of her own against Arizona's soft skin. "Just 'cause you're so darn cute."

Arizona blushed, and something Callie couldn't identify flickered across the blonde's face.

Arizona took Callie's hand in hers and turned as she pulled the brunette along with her.

"Let's start with the big ones first, before the park begins to fill up." She paused and looked up at the massive rollercoasters surrounding the perimeter of the park. She pointed to the biggest one.

"Timberhawk. Definitely. That's _gotta_ be first."

The crowds were manageable, given the early hour, so they only had to wait in line for about ten minutes. Arizona insisted they sit right in the front, "_Otherwise, what's the point?"_, and as their car slowly climbed higher and higher, Callie found herself unable to contain her wide grin. In this exact moment, she was unbelievably, stupidly happy, because Arizona was happy, and Callie knew that she had made that happen.

She was torn from her reverie by the piercing sound of Arizona screaming into her ear just as they began to tip over the precipice of the towering ride. Hands flew in the air. Stomachs recoiled. Eyelids slammed shut. All at 85mph.

And then it was over, and on to the next one. And the next one. Until finally, reluctantly, Callie had to call a time out.

"Arizona," she panted, trying to keep up with the remarkably fast pace of the smaller woman. "Let's try something a little more low key for a while, huh?"

Arizona stopped mid stride. She hung her head for a second, then looked up, slightly embarrassed with herself.

"I'm sorry, Callie, I'm just so excited to be here...please, you pick the next rides, okay?"

Callie came along side and took her hand, intertwining their fingers together. "How about this," she offered, "it's almost lunchtime, so why don't we do, say, one more ride, then get something to eat?"

Arizona smiled back at the hopeful brunette. "That sounds great. But you're still picking the next ride, I mean it!"

"Okay then," Callie answered, pulling Arizona along by the hand, "the bumper cars are back this way!"

...

Later, they sat together on a bench, munching on corndogs and french fries, laughing about Callie's unfortunate luck with their last ride.

"_So _not fair, and you know it!" the brunette huffed.

"Callie...it happens to everyone...it just sucked that this time it was _your_ car!" Arizona couldn't hold back her amusement at Callie's bad luck.

There's always one car in the pack that for some reason, won't move. No matter what the person does, no matter what they try, it just refuses to budge. And they just have to sit there and take it, while everyone else around them decides to practice their ramming skills on the stalled buggy.

"And remember that one kid?" Callie interjected. "He just wouldn't stop. I swear, if he were only a few years older, I would'a got out and pounded him!"

Arizona grinned as she took another bite of her corndog, then sipped her lemonade.

Callie looked at her and softened her tone. "It _was_ kinda cool though, how you went after him and tried to protect my car from those teenagers."

"Hey," Arizona began, as she gave Callie a wide smile, "no one's gonna mess with you while I'm around!"

"Yeah, I'm starting to get that..." Callie responded. She spied a dot of mustard on the side of Arizona's mouth, and couldn't resist. She leaned in close. "Here, let me..." She swiped her thumb lightly across Arizona's top lip, and quickly licked the condiment away.

Arizona didn't say a word. She didn't need to. Her adoring smile said it all.

They dumped all their trash in the garbage and Callie pulled out the park map once again.

"So, haunted house next?" Callie asked.

Arizona frowned. "Really?"

"Yeah, why, you don't like haunted houses?"

"Not so much...is it really scary?"

"Well, I don't know, I haven't been in this one before."

"Umm...is it a walk through or a ride through...'cause if it's a walk through, then sorry, no way...can't do it, but if it's a ride through...I guess I could. But only if I don't hafta open my eyes and you promise to keep your arm around me the _whole_ time!" Arizona blurted.

"I think that can be arranged..." Callie chuckled. "How 'bout I start with arm thing now," she said, snaking her arm around Arizona's waist as they walked toward the entrance.

...

"Huh..." Callie said, as they exited the dark ride into bright daylight.

"What? Is it over?" Arizona managed to pull her head up from Callie's shoulder where it had taken residence as soon as they entered the blackened tunnel and the first axe wielding figure had threatened them from the shadows. She peeked open one eye and looked around, then relaxed her vice like grip from around Callie's midsection.

Not that Callie minded. Not at all.

"It's nothing really..." Callie said as they stepped out of the buggy just in time for the next two eager bodies to pile into it. "I just find it amusing that you can be so fearless in real life scary situations, but here, where it's all completely fake and harmless...you're terrified."

Arizona grinned as she lightly slapped Callie on the arm. "I know, I know...but I think it's because I _know_ it's fake that I _can _get scared." She shrugged. "You don't run into too many axe murderers in real life. Besides, it's not that I'm _not_ ever fearful. I've just been trained to channel it, to put it aside."

Callie placed a hand on Arizona's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to make us all serious...I just found it so cute I couldn't help but comment!"

"Ahh, it's okay," Arizona laughed. "Come on, I'll let you make it up to me by taking me on the ferris wheel." She winked playfully at Callie. "Maybe if we're lucky, it'll get stuck while we're up at the top!"

...

"Okay, now this really is a cliche," Callie commented, her legs dangling over the edge of the footrest, eight stories off the ground. She looked over the edge of their cramped seat and sighed.

"I think it's nice," Arizona responded, snuggling in as close as she could to the brunette. "There are worse places to get stuck...like that yucky haunted house, for example." She lifted her head to look at Callie's face. "Don't you like being stuck up here with me?"

Callie turned to give the blonde her full attention.

"Of course I do, Arizona." She smiled sweetly at her. "I like it a whole lot, in fact." Callie leaned in for a shared, but brief, kiss, then peered over the edge again. "It's just, getting stuck on a ferris wheel intentionally is one thing...but, it looks to me like _this_ time..." she leaned over even further, and their seat began to sway from the movement, "we might actually be _really_ stuck. I just saw a guy with a tool belt crawl underneath the big motor down there."

"Oh!" Arizona responded, leaning across Callie's body to try and see for herself. The contact felt really nice, and Callie closed her eyes, enjoying the closeness, however brief.

"Guess we'll be up here for a while, then." Arizona leaned back, and looked around at the expansive parkland before returning her gaze to Callie. She turned in her seat. "So, tell me about you're family, Calliope."

Callie's mouth opened but no words came out. "What would you like to know?" she slowly asked.

Arizona shrugged happily as she smiled back. "Anything. Where do they live? Where are you from? Brothers? Sisters? Pets? Is your family close? Are you out to them?"

"Well, most of my family is still in Miami, which is where I'm from." She peeked over the edge again. "I have one sister, no brothers."

Arizona waited expectantly. "And?"

"And...not a lot really to tell you. Just, they're Catholic. I was raised Catholic. And the whole dating girls thing is...will be a touchy issue. So no, I'm not out to them," she said, her tone a little defensive.

Arizona recognized she had hit a nerve, so she grasped Callie's hand in hers and squeezed tightly.

"I'm sorry, Callie. I didn't mean to pry."

She looked down at her feet, then back up again.

"If you ever decide to tell them, because you want them to know, then it'll take time. And they'll probably need time to adjust to the new information. About you."

Callie softened, and she lifted Arizona's hand to her mouth, kissing it quickly. "I know..I'm sorry. It's something I've been meaning to do for a while, but it always seemed sort of...pointless...if I wasn't actually dating a woman at the time."

Though no one could hear them, Arizona leaned in and lowered her voice.

"You know, if you think about it, this could kinda qualify as our second date." She waggled her eyebrows at Callie. "And more than one date with a person, _usually_ means you're dating them."

Callie raised a playful eyebrow of her own. "Does it, now?"

"It could," Arizona responded hopefully.

"Well, Dr. Robbins," Callie leaned in, "let's just see how the rest of the day goes," her eyes quickly shifted to Arizona's lips, "and I'll let you know." Callie planted a soft and passionate kiss on the mildly surprised blonde, who immediately reciprocated.

"WooHoo!" came shouts of approval from the pair of teenage boys in the chair suspended behind theirs. Callie's head whipped around, and she shot them a death glare, while Arizona simply smiled contentedly to herself. Their chair jolted abruptly as the ride was operational once again.

After listening to a panicked apology from the rides manager about the temporary breakdown, the girls wandered away, arm in arm, without any real plan for their next activity. They strolled casually along, taking in the sights and sounds and smells that accompany any trip to an amusement park in the summer. Happy kids, exhausted parents. Jovial but tinny sounding circus music, piped in through speakers hidden behind bushes and high up in the trees. Pink and blue cotton candy, balloons of every colour imaginable, the smell of fried foods and sugar, and the omnipresent bells and whistles of the skill testing games, beckoning passers-by to try and win a five foot Shrek or Spongebob stuffed doll.

Arizona tugged on Callie's arm as they passed by a target shooting game.

"Let's try this one!" she begged.

Callie regarded the game skeptically. "I don't know, Arizona...I've never even held a gun before. Not sure I'd even hit anything." She pointed to the sign. "And look, it's ten bucks for three shots, and you have to hit two out of three just for the little prize!"

Arizona looked back at Callie as she dug some bills out of her pocket. "It's not the _little_ prize I want!" she said, smiling coyly. "Besides, I know an eight year old at the hospital that will just _flip_ when I give her that!" she continued, pointing towards the Shrek doll.

Callie laughed and sat down beside Arizona as the blonde collected her laser rifle and held it in both hands, testing the weight. Then she propped the butt end up onto her shoulder and peered down the barrel at the fast moving plastic targets.

_Pop. Pop. Pop._

All three went down without much effort, and Arizona lowered the rifle, her eyes shining with delight. "Never mess with a Colonel's daughter!" she told the slightly stunned man behind the counter as he reached up to retrieve Arizona's giant prize.

"Actually," she stopped him, "would you mind if we came by later on to pick it up? We're going to be here for a few more hours still, and it'll be kinda hard to drag it everywhere."

He nodded and hung the doll back up, then turned his attention to other potential customers.

"It's getting kinda hot out now," Callie remarked as they walked away from the booth, both looking up at the blinding sun. "What do you say we, you know, head on over to the waterpark."

"Calliope Torres!"

Callie reacted as Arizona poked her playfully in the ribs.

"You just want to see me in my bikini!"

"Umm, _yeah_!" Callie responded, then raised on eyebrow to the blonde. "Are you saying you _don't_ want to see me in mine?" She crossed her arms, intentionally hugging the tops of her breasts together to reveal _a lot _more cleavage.

Arizona quickly folded.

"Okay, you win. You keep doing that..." she pointed to Callie's heaving breasts, "and you'll win _every_ time with me!"

The sound of the rushing water drew them closer, and as they entered the gates they could feel the cool spray of an ever present mist wash over them. It was so refreshing on such a hot day. They rented two towels and a locker for their clothing, and headed over to the change rooms to undress.

Arizona eyes nearly popped out of her head when she finally got a look at Callie in her new white bikini. And she wasn't the only one. One guy actually walked into a door, he was so distracted. Arizona took a sharp intake of breath as she bit her bottom lip. She blushed, slightly embarrassed by the involuntary, almost primeval, reaction her own body was having to Callie's.

Callie's response to Arizona in her neon pink bikini was similar, and her mind raced as her eyes combed over particular areas of the blonde's firm body. She imagined all the places she wanted to touch, and caress, taste, and tease.

They stood, staring at each other for a very long moment, until finally Arizona turned her head and pointed to the doorway.

"We should...uh..."

"Yeah..." Callie laughed warmly at her. She pulled the blushing blonde by the hand. "Let's go get you cooled off, huh?"

The water park was massive, and included a giant wave pool, a kiddie pool, two water rides, one fast and one leisurely, and three waterslides.

Arizona was practically jumping out of her skin when she saw them. "I love waterslides!" Her pace quickened, and Callie had to hurry to keep up. "Ever since I was a kid, I've loved them!" She looked up at the long and winding colourful tubes overheard. "I don't think I've been on any as big as these, though." She began to race up the stairs, taking them two at a time, with Callie hot on her heels. They made it to the top of the ride and only had to wait a short time until it was their turn. Arizona sat down and beckoned for Callie to settle in behind her.

"Let's go down it together, Callie!"

Callie quickly straddled the blonde from behind, wrapping both arms firmly around her waist, and she and Arizona scooted themselves forward a few feet until they were firmly in the grip of the rushing tide of water.

Arizona squealed with joy, and then they were off!

Callie pulled Arizona back against her body as they initially tried to stay balanced and upright on the slippery surface of the tube. Arizona gripped and held Callie's hands firmly against her body as they propelled downwards, their bodies careening left and right with the shift of each turn in the slick tube. Suddenly they were ejected out the bottom into the giant wave pool, the force of the splash causing them to separate. Callie surfaced first, and quickly looked around for Arizona. The blonde sputtered to the surface a moment later, laughing as she spit out a mouthful of chlorinated water. They barely had a chance to speak before the next lot of screaming kids came shooting out the mouth of the ride, almost crashing right into them. They looked at each other with amusedly panicked eyes.

"Let's get the hell outta here!" Callie yelled as she struggled to move herself and Arizona out of the line of fire.

They barely made it to the edge of the pool before Arizona was pulling Callie by the hand to race to the top again. They went four more times, until Callie called her second time out of the day.

"I'm not trying to be a party pooper, Arizona, but I literally think I've swallowed about half the pool by now!" They bobbed up and down together in the cool waist deep water.

"That's okay, Callie, I'm getting a bit waterlogged myself," Arizona replied, standing up. "Why don't we just relax for a while?" She slowly grazed her hand up the side of Callie's arm as she adjusted the fallen strap of the brunette's bikini.

Callie cleared her throat as she pointed towards a line of sunbathing chairs perched on the grassy slope adjacent to the pool. "We could lie on those for a while, if you like?"

Arizona nodded. She was simply unable to tear her eyes away from Callie's bare shoulders, silently marvelling at the way the brunette's glistening skin seemed to have darkened ever so slightly in the reflective shimmer of the water. She shook her head and turned away to retrieve their towels from the poolside. Callie followed her out, and accepted her own towel with a small smile. They walked over together and chose two chairs side by side. As Arizona settled into her seat, Callie laid out her towel.

"I'm going to get us some _real_ water to drink, Arizona. Is there anything else you want?"

"Just you, sitting here beside me," she patted Callie's unoccupied chair, "but a water would be great, thanks!"

Callie smirked back as she turned and walked towards the lockers to retrieve her money. The line at the concession stand was painfully long and twice Callie considered ditching it to just go back and be with Arizona. She knew eventually they'd need something to drink, though, so she stuck it out. As she turned away from the counter, two bottled waters in hand, she spied a very good looking guy sitting on _her _chair, chatting casually with Arizona. She stopped short, and her breath hitched. Jealousy took hold, and she moved off to the side, hiding herself partially behind a lifeguard tower as she watched. She scrutinized their banter, which seemed relaxed, even friendly. Arizona laid a hand on his toned and tanned arm. And kept it there. Callie's eyes narrowed, then widened in panic as she suddenly realized Arizona had spotted her and was waving wildly, trying to get the brunette's attention. Callie looked around, and quickly accepted she had no other option but to walk over to them. As she crossed the concrete pad and stepped onto the grass, the guy got up and said something to Arizona that Callie couldn't make out. She stopped as he approached her, then stood confused as he walked right by, tossing her a knowing wink as he passed.

"Okay...what was...who _was_ that?" Callie asked as she came upon Arizona.

"His name's Bishop! Isn't that a great name? Almost as weird as mine..."

Callie was nodding, still confused. She tried to sound more aloof than she felt. "Oh, it kinda looked like he was hitting on you..." she trailed off, hoping for immediate reassurance from the blonde.

"Oh! He was!"

Callie's eyes widened as she turned around to look at him again.

"But, it's okay, Callie."

Arizona tugged lightly on the brunette's arm, causing her to plunk down onto her chair, water bottles still in hand. Arizona slipped them from Callie's grasp and cracked one open, passing it back to the brunette.

"He got about eight seconds into his pick up line before I cut him off." She reached over and held Callie's chin in her hand, her bright blue eyes warm with affection. "I told him he was wasting his time 'cause I was already on a date...with the hottest woman in the park." She smiled, and lay back again. "Turns out, his sister's gay. She just came out to the family and they're all having a really hard time with it. Except Bishop. He says he's the only one who even speaks to her anymore. He doesn't get what the big deal is, and I was just telling him I think it's great that he's being such a supportive brother."

She paused, momentarily distracted, as thoughts of her own brother flooded back. She tried to clear her mind as she looked at Callie.

"When we saw you coming back, he said he didn't want to get in our way, so he left." She paused again. "Why, did he say something to you?"

"No, he just...winked...at me."

Callie lay back too as she took a long pull from her water.

When she looked over at Arizona, she noticed the blonde inspecting her curiously.

"You weren't jealous or anything, were you?" Arizona asked.

"What? No!" she scoffed.

Arizona was silent for a beat, her penetrating eyes never leaving the brunette's.

Callie caved.

"Okay, maybe I was...just for a second..." Callie answered truthfully. She shrugged her shoulders. "He was a hot guy Arizona. You can't blame me for being a bit jealous, can you?"

Arizona regarded her for a moment, then stood up from her seat and straddled Callie's chair, facing the brunette.

"Two things, Calliope." She slowly traced Callie's collarbone with her finger. "One...I'm not into guys. At all. Ever." Callie smiled shyly, her eyes down. Arizona gently lifted Callie's chin with her other hand. "And two...believe me when I tell you that there's _no one_ I'd rather be here with right now, than _you_." She leaned in and placed a light kiss against Callie's lips. "Okay?"

Callie nodded. "Okay."

Arizona hopped up, then plopped back down onto her own beach chair. She laid back, settling in comfortably, when she felt Callie's hand brush against hers, taking it and holding it as they lay in the warm sunshine, together.

...

The ride home that evening was filled with a comfortable silence. They were both tired, had mild sunburns, and the corndogs, fries and waffle cones, though tasty, suddenly didn't seeming like the best choice.

Also, the date, _their _date, was ending.

Arizona sighed heavily as the car pulled up to the entrance of her building. Callie turned off the engine and looked over at Arizona, who smiled sadly at her.

"We're here..." Callie said. Her voice sounded small, far away.

"Yep, we're here." Arizona quietly responded. She gradually unlocked her seat belt and opened the car door. She climbed out and reached into the back seat to retrieve her Shrek doll and the ten bags of cotton candy she had purchased on the way out of the park.

Callie chuckled at her as she came around the car to help.

"I don't know, Arizona, something just seems odd to me about a paediatric surgeon giving cotton candy to sick kids," she teased.

"I told you already," Arizona scoffed as she bumped against Callie's hip with her own, "some of them are just injured, and not critically. And the ones who _are _really sick...well...a little cotton candy won't hurt them, and might just brighten their day a little..."

Callie quickly reached out in the darkness and gathered Arizona into a hug.

"I'm only teasing you. I think it's an amazing idea." She kissed the blonde lightly on the lips. Once. Then again. "I think _you're_ kind of amazing too, you know."

"Will you come upstairs with me?" Arizona asked. "Stay with me for a while...I'm just not ready for this day to end quite yet."

Callie nodded and gently pulled the giant green ogre from Arizona's grasp, as well as a few bags of cotton candy, so the blonde could locate her keys to the building.

"I'll stay for as long as you want me to," Callie answered, holding open the door as Arizona scooted inside ahead of her. "I'm not ready for this to end, either."

...

Oooh...what happens next? Oh yeah, that's _my j_ob! Better get cracking then, I suppose! I seriously had to fight the urge to ditch work and go to Canada's Wonderland while writing this chapter! A legitimate research assignment, one could argue. :) Honestly, I probably could have doubled the length of this if I had fully detailed their exploits with the haunted house, bumper cars, and waterpark. I wanted to, but I also am painfully aware of just how long it took to get this much written, and then posted. So, I'm sorry if anyone felt a bit cheated on the details. FYI...7 days until Rizzoli and Isles, Season 1, is out on DVD! In case anyone, other than me, cares. ;)


	8. Chapter 8

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

Chapter 8

A/N – So. I got about eight cavities from writing the last chapter. Sorry if anyone else did. Please forward your dentist bill. Oh yeah, not a doctor, (duh) so the medical jargon is, well, pretty much just made up. Yadda. Yadda. Yadda.

Also, 'cause I like you, I'm gonna warn you now, this chapter takes a dark turn.

Now, where were we? Ah yes, upstairs with Arizona... :)

...

"I'll stay for as long as you want Arizona, I'm not ready for this to end either."

_What does she mean? What do _I_ mean?_

They waited for the elevator in silence, the weight of their words now hitting them.

"I can make us some coffee, if you like?" Arizona offered as they exited the elevator at her floor.

"Coffee would be great," Callie smiled back.

Arizona fumbled nervously with her key in the lock, then pushed the door open and moved inside.

Callie followed and closed the door behind her, watching the blonde as she quickly kicked off her sandals. Callie wondered about the etiquette of date shoe removal. If she kept hers on, Arizona might think that Callie wasn't planning on sticking around for long. If she took them off, maybe Arizona would think she was being a little presumptuous. Her puzzling thoughts were interrupted.

"Take your shoes off, Cal, stay a while."

_Okay, then. _

Callie slipped off her sneakers and followed Arizona into the apartment. It was spacious and warm, and Callie guessed, given the number of windows, quite sunny during the daytime.

Arizona propped up the giant Shrek doll on a chair in the living room, and stuffed the bags of cotton candy onto it's lap. It looked a little ridiculous, and Arizona smiled at it.

"Nice place, Arizona. Mind if I snoop?"

"Not at all, snoop away. I'll put on some coffee for us."

Callie wandered as Arizona disappeared into the kitchen. She paused at a side table, cluttered with at least fifteen picture frames, various sizes and shapes. Mostly the same people in the pictures. Family, Callie guessed. The older woman had a smile identical to Arizona's.

_I can see where she gets it from._

"That's my mom," came a voice from behind. Callie turned, the dark wood frame still in her hand.

"She looks like you...or, I guess, _you_ look like _her._" Callie's cheeks reddened. "I mean, in about _thirty years_, you'll look like her."

"I should be so lucky," Arizona responded, looking down wistfully at the photo as Callie offered it to her. She placed it back in it's original resting spot.

"Come on," she nodded her head toward the couch, "I'm exhausted and really need to get off my feet." She tugged Callie by the sleeve. "What do you take in your coffee?"

"Uh, just cream no sugar, thanks." Callie walked around the coffee table and sat down on the plush sofa as Arizona headed into the kitchen. Callie followed her with her eyes, then turned back and closed them. She was exhausted as well.

"You're tired too, huh?"

The brunette smiled and slowly peeked one eye open, looking up at the blonde as she placed two steaming, dark blue ceramic mugs in front of them, then plopped herself down sideways, with one arm thrown over the back of the couch. She tucked a leg underneath herself as Callie shifted to face her.

"So," Arizona began, reaching for her cup, "I had such a great time with you today."

Callie smiled and picked up her coffee, blowing on it briefly before taking a sip.

"Me too." She noticed Arizona absently rubbing at the heel of her tucked foot. She took a quick gulp, then put down the cup.

"Here," she said, pulling Arizona's foot out from under her, and up onto her own lap. "Give me your other one, too." Callie pointed to the blonde's other foot, still planted firmly on the floor.

Arizona lifted it and scooted back a few inches as she placed it in Callie's lap.

"Now just lie back and relax."

Arizona raised a playful eyebrow. "Waterslides _and_ foot rubs? A girl could get used to this." She settled back against the length of the cushions, laying her head on the armrest. She winced slightly at first as Callie's strong fingers worked against the sore muscles, then slowly relaxed into the brunette's soothing touch. She jerked involuntarily when Callie caressed a sensitive spot on the base of her left foot.

"Ticklish, are we?"

Arizona cranked open one eye, and peered down the length of the couch at the smirking brunette.

"Nope."

Callie touched the spot again, this time stroking it with just the tip of her nail. Arizona jumped.

"Ha!" Callie laughed, "You _are_ ticklish!"

"Okay, maybe just a bit," Arizona squirmed, cringing as Callie sat poised to do it again, "but please don't..." Callie stroked the skin, and Arizona's foot twitched again. "Callie, _no fair_, please don't!"

"Please don't _what_?" Callie feigned innocence.

"You _know_ what! My foot, my _feet_...please don't tickle them," Arizona pouted through her laughter.

"Okay, okay...I promise I'll stop tickling your feet," Callie responded, the blonde eyeing her suspiciously before settling her head back against the armrest.

Callie shifted in her seat some more, quietly trying to adjust herself for her next move. She carefully sat up on her knees, watching closely in case Arizona decided to open her eyes again.

When she was in position, she let go of the blonde's foot, and lightly ran her fingers along the bare skin of Arizona's waist, eliciting a loud shriek from the surprised blonde. Callie hovered over her as she mercilessly teased and stroked Arizona's sensitive skin, enjoying the sight of Arizona half struggling, half laughing underneath her.

"Cal...Cal...stop...pl..Cal," Arizona was breathless, she was laughing so much. "Stop..._stop_," she tried to hold Callie's wrists but the brunette kept moving them around to different parts of Arizona's body. She finally just grasped onto Callie's belt with both hands, and tugged hard against it, pulling Callie off balance. The brunette lurched forward and had to put out her hands to stop herself from falling on top of Arizona. Her face landed inches from the blonde's, who wasted no time in pulling the stunned brunette in for a deep kiss. Callie quickly reciprocated, and settled her body against the blonde's, as Arizona spread her legs a few inches more to allow room for Callie's lower body to rest against her. They kissed and caressed each other, basking in the feeling one gets from being so close to the exact and only person you want to be near.

Callie moved from Arizona's mouth to her neck, kissing and nibbling at the blonde's earlobe as Arizona shifted her hips under Callie's, searching for the elusive contact that her body craved. Callie propped herself up on her left elbow, and they both watched, eyes wide and breathing hitched as she ran her right hand down the length of Arizona's body, pausing at the curve of her breast, her stomach, her hip, and finally settling at her inner thigh. Arizona closed her eyes and moaned softly as Callie lightly grazed her fingers along the soft material, hovering near, but never touching where Arizona wanted her most.

_God, I want this so badly, but not like this. Not on her couch. I have to stop. I have to stop now. _

Callie pulled her hand away and waited for Arizona to open her eyes. Her breathing was ragged.

"Wh...what...what's wrong?" she finally managed to ask.

Callie shook her head as she sat back on her heels. "We can't do this Arizona, not now." She saw the hurt look in the blonde's face and quickly explained. "Believe me, I want you _so _badly, but...I also want much more than just _sex_ with you." Her dark brown eyes pleaded for understanding. "I had so much fun today...and I think we have a real shot at making this work." She paused, looking for confirmation from the blonde.

Arizona nodded her head as she pulled her legs out from under Callie and sat up. "Callie, you don't have to say any more, really, it's okay."

The brunette settled on the couch again, facing Arizona, embarrassment preventing her from maintaining eye contact.

"I'm glad you stopped us." She caught Callie's eye and tried to hold her gaze. "I am." She smiled and gently stroked the brunette's cheek with the back of her fingers. "I want our first time, and there _will_ be a first time, to be special too." She stood up and held out her hands, pulling the taller woman up and into a tight embrace. They slowly came apart. "And that's why I'm gonna say goodnight to you."

Callie looked at the wall, then at the floor. Anywhere but Arizona's gaze. Anywhere but those penetrating blue eyes.

"Hey, don't be sad," Arizona remarked. "This is a _good_ thing. We've had an amazing day...and an amazing date!" She pulled Callie by the arm towards the door. "And if we want to have more together, this one has to end." She watched as Callie slipped her shoes back on, and stood up.

"I know, Arizona." She struggled to express how she was feeling. "I know we can't do _that_ tonight," she pointed towards the couch, "but I feel so...invincible...around you. I know it sounds stupid, or whatever, but you make me feel ten feet tall whenever we're together."

"I know the feeling Calliope...you do the same thing to me, you know." Arizona smirked playfully at her as they stood, silently allowing the gravity of their confessions to sink in.

Arizona spoke first.

She pulled Callie in for one last long hug, then reached behind her and pulled open her apartment door. "Goodnight Calliope. Thank you for the best date ever. I honestly don't know how I'm going to top it when_ I_ take _you _out for our next one."

Callie brightened. "Ha!" she laughed, "no _way_ you can outdo this date!"

"Maybe not," Arizona responded, lightly shoving Callie out the door, "but I'll sure have fun trying!"

...

The soft buzzing of Callie's cell startled her in the unusually quiet cafeteria. 10am. The calm before the storm. She reached down and pulled it from her pocket.

**So...are you looking forward to tonight? **

She smiled and typed a quick response.

**You know I am. Though just because I kept our first date a surprise, doesn't mean you have to do the same.**

**Fair is fair, Calliope :)**

Callie responded back.

**Any particular clothing requirements? ;)**

The response took longer than she expected. She figured she had stumped, or stunned, the blonde with that one.

**The less, the better. ;D**

**Now who's the perv Arizona? ;) What time are you picking me up?**

**I'll be at your place at 7. Gotta go. See you then! I can't wait! :)**

**Bye Az...me either :)**

Later, Callie overheard a conversation at the ER nurse's station about a little girl in paeds who had been rushed into emergency surgery to repair a rupture to her right ventricle.

"Excuse me," she interrupted, " do you know who the doctor on that case might be?"

"Um...I think it's Dr. Robbins, if I'm not mistaken." The woman looked to her co-worker for confirmation. The other woman nodded. "I can check for you if you like, Dr. Torres," the woman called after her as Callie quickly left the ER, opting for the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator.

She found Arizona in operating theatre two, working furiously with a cardiac specialist to try and contain the bleed and repair the injured heart in the tiny body, lying motionless on the table. The girl's colour was very pale, despite the constant flow of fresh O Neg being pumped into her IV. Machines beeped and alarms wailed, and despite her best efforts, Arizona had to finally, regretfully, concede defeat. Her shoulders slumped as she called time of death.

Callie waited outside the OR until Arizona emerged, and pulled her into a consoling hug.

"You did your best...you know that, right?"

Arizona nodded, stifling a sob. "Doesn't make it any easier."

"No, it doesn't." Callie rubbed her back, wishing she could take away the sadness and guilt. "Every patient is hard to lose. Kids must be even harder."

Arizona pulled back and sniffed. "I have to go inform the family," she said. "I just need a moment alone to compose myself, okay?"

Callie watched her walk away, and sighed.

...

An hour later, Callie found Arizona sitting alone in an empty waiting room. She had a mountain of paperwork in her lap.

"How are you doing?" Callie quietly asked her.

Arizona smiled weakly at the brunette. "I'm okay," she shifted the folders onto the couch.

"The family?" Callie asked.

"They're...devastated, of course. But, they knew this may happen. She's been very weak the last few days...still..." Arizona trailed off.

Callie sat on the short table in front of Arizona and took her hands.

"I looked up her chart," she said.

Arizona glanced up.

"_You_ are the reason she even made it this far to begin with. Most kids with her condition don't see their fifth birthday, and she was _eight_, Arizona, _eight_!"

Callie had discovered that the little girl's family had moved to Seattle to allow their daughter to continue to be cared for by Arizona. It must have put a great strain on them, financially and emotionally, but they knew Dr. Robbins was the best hope for their daughter's recovery.

"I let them down. I let _her _down." Arizona was starting to tear up.

"You didn't. Arizona, you didn't let them down." Callie pushed aside the papers and sat on the couch, pulling Arizona into a strong embrace. "You gave them years with their daughter that they probably wouldn't have had if it was anyone else." She put a few inches between them, looking the blonde directly in the eye. "I read the chart. Most doctors would have likely given up long ago. But you didn't."

"No, I didn't," Arizona whispered, then leaned into Callie's shoulder as the tears started to fall.

They sat like that, together, until the sobbing began to subside. Arizona lifted her head and blew her nose loudly on the kleenex Callie handed her. She smiled at the noise she made.

She pulled back from Callie and looked into the dark warm pools that were the brunette's eyes.

"Thanks," she said, "for being so understanding."

Callie nodded back. "You're welcome."

Arizona gasped as a thought hit her. "Our date tonight! Oh, Calliope. I really want to spend time with you but I..." She was stopped by a finger to her lips.

"Forget it. Another night. It's not a problem. You've had a very trying day and I'll understand if you just want some time alone."

"No!" Arizona shook her head at the brunette. "I don't want to be alone. I _do_ want to be with you, but I just can't go through with what I had planned for us." She looked down, a little defeated again. "I had reservations for us at Crush, then a romantic boat ride on the water afterwards."

Callie's eyes widened as she pictured just how incredible all of that would have been.

"But now," Arizona huffed, "I feel like a need a drink. Or _ten_." She smiled weakly again. "Would it be okay with you if we just went to Joe's after I finish all these forms?"

Callie smiled back. "Of course, Arizona. I just want to spend time with you too, and it doesn't matter to me where we are." She tucked a stray curl behind the blonde's ear, paused for a beat, then stood up. "I'll be around. Call if you need me. Otherwise, just let me know when you're done and we'll go together, okay?"

Arizona nodded and grasped at Callie's hand as she turned to leave.

"Calliope. Thanks."

Callie squeezed back, then left the room.

...

The man waited, hiding himself in the darkness of the alley.

_That night_, he had turned back after a few minutes, and had secretly followed them most of the way to the apartment building. He was hurt, but more, he was _pissed_. He had barely looked at himself in the mirror since, but when he did he saw only a coward, blind with self hatred.

So, he started to plan.

Now, more than two weeks later, the injury had healed, but the emotional scars just kept cutting deeper and deeper. He absently cradled his right hand, certain he could still feel the lingering pain, though it was really only in his unhinged mind. He closed his eyes and thought it all through again, for about the twentieth time tonight.

It would be quick. It would be painful. It would be _permanent_.

He reached down and roughly grabbed at the bottle of Johnny Walker, already half empty. Took a long swig, using the back of his hand to wipe away what was left behind on his dry lips.

He had watched them leave the hospital together, arms comfortably around eachother's waist as they walked the relatively short distance to Emerald City Bar.

_Perfect. They'll be drunk. And defenseless. _

He found they alley days ago and right away knew it would be the place. It would happen _here_. He just had to time it right.

"Pretty girl," he muttered quietly. "Not so pretty when I get through with her." Pleased with himself, he shoved his left hand into his coat pocket and ran his thumb along the four inches of cold metal he found there.

He smiled. And he waited.

And then he heard it.

Faintly at first, then growing louder. The distinct sound of two different sets of heels hitting the ground, the pace leisurely and meandering. Unaware.

He shuffled along the wall, his back pressed tight against it. He held out a thin mirror, chancing a quick look to make sure it was them. He quickly shoved the piece of glass into his back pocket, and tried to listen, tried to get the timing _just right_.

15 feet. Then 10. Then 5.

_Now!_

He stepped out of the shadows, and pulled the blade from his pocket, hearing it snap open with the click of a small button.

"Hey bitch!" he hissed. "Remember _me_?"

...

Yikes! What just happened here? Oh, the drama!


	9. Chapter 9

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

Chapter 9

A/N – Caution: Strong language and a major butt kicking is about to ensue. It took a while to get into Cal and Az's minds for this. How would each think, see, and feel about what happened? Also, how bad is it that I had to go back and re-read my own story to remember what's happened in past chapters? Clearly, I took way too long to update, and I'm really sorry for that! :(

...

Callie sat in the hospital lobby, bouncing her leg to a quick nervous rhythm. Arizona had texted to say that she'd be ready to leave in ten minutes, but it had been easily twice that long. Callie was becoming concerned, and stood quickly, having decided to go on the hunt for her date. Friend? Girlfriend?

She made it to the bottom of the staircase when the elevator door dinged open and Arizona strode out into the hallway.

"Callie," she called. "I'm here!" She quickened her pace and hurried over to the brunette.

Callie turned, one hand on the banister, one foot on the stair, and smiled. It was bright and warm and it made Arizona's heart swell. She slowed as she reached the brunette, and slid her arm around the taller woman's waist. "Sorry, I know I took longer than I said."

Callie wrapped her arm around Arizona's waist as well, and they turned to walk out the main doors.

"Remember that Shrek doll we won at the park?" Arizona asked.

Callie nodded.

"Well, Lucy's parents," she paused, but they continued walking. "Her parents didn't take it with them. They told one of the nurses that another kid should have it instead. So, I had to decide who to give it to. Does that seem weird?" She stopped and looked at the brunette.

"No, I don't think it's weird," Callie responded slowly. "If her parents who said they wouldn't take it, then why _shouldn't_ another kid get it. If it'll make someone else happy, why not?"

Arizona nodded, pleased with the response, and they continued walking.

"So who did you give it to?"

"Oh, a little boy named Jacob. He's seven." Arizona smiled. "You should have seen his face! It's _bigger _than _he_ is!"

"That's good Arizona, I'm glad."

Arizona hugged Callie's waist a little tighter as they strolled. "Me too."

Callie pulled open the heavy door to the bar and they moved inside. She scanned the room as usual, and gave a brief wave to Joe as they headed over to join Cristina, Owen, Lexie, Meredith and Derek. There was a loud scraping of wood against wood as everybody scooted their chairs over to make room for the new couple. Cristina was in the middle of a story about catching two of the new interns in a storage closet together. And apparently, they weren't doing inventory.

Meredith quietly leaned over to Arizona. "I heard about your patient, Dr. Robbins." She placed her hand lightly over Arizona's. "I'm really sorry."

Arizona nodded as unexpected tears began to well. "Thanks Meredith, really. And please, it's just Arizona, okay?"

"What are you drinking Az?"

"Um...white wine, something dry please." She looked up, and Callie was already on her way to the bar. "Thanks!" she called.

Arizona had exchanged the wine for water after three glasses, and she was feeling relaxed and just a little woozy from the alcohol. She had stopped herself at three, mostly because she didn't want to deal with a pounding headache the next day.

She felt eyes on her and turned to find Callie staring directly at her.

"What?" she asked, laughing, feeling a little caught off guard.

Callie leaned in to her. "You're so beautiful," she answered openly.

Arizona blushed and looked around furtively at the others sitting at the table to see if any of them overheard. They hadn't. She leaned back into Callie and whispered in her ear. "And you're incredibly sexy." Her gaze dropped to Callie's slightly parted lips. "Do you want to get out of here?"

Callie nodded, and they stood up together, saying their goodbyes. Callie settled their tab and they headed out the door together. Arizona took Callie's hand in hers as they strolled along the dark deserted sidewalk, an unspoken agreement to head back to Callie's place.

They made it about halfway.

"Hey bitch, remember _me_?"

Arizona barely had time to drop Callie's hand before she was being yanked roughly by the arm into the dark alley. Callie froze. She couldn't move. She stood stock still on the sidewalk, watching as the stranger pulled Arizona deeper into the darkness. She heard a faint sound, getting louder. After an eternity she recognized it as her own name. Someone was calling her.

_Arizona_ was calling her.

"Callie! _Callie_! Get help! Callie!"

She flinched, then lunged part way into the alley after them, fuelled by anger and fear.

"Nuh uh..." the man teased, holding the knife dangerously close to Arizona's exposed neck.

"I don't give a shit about you," he spat, "but come any closer and I'll cut you up too."

"Calliope!" Arizona begged, "_please_, just go. I don't want you to get hurt. _Please_!"

Callie's brown eyes widened as she realized she had only one choice. She had to get _help_. She would call the police and they would come. But that could take several minutes and this guy looked ready to attack any second.

But that meant she had to leave Arizona here. By herself. With this maniac.

She turned on her heels and ran back into the street, yelling for someone, _anyone_, to help them. But it was late, and traffic was sparse. She started for the only place she could think of, just a short distance away, pulling out her cell and making a frantic call to 911 as she ran. She cursed her two inch heels when they caused her to trip and stumble more than once. Callie was screaming before she had even yanked open the saloon door, forcing every person there to spin around in shock as she tore inside.

...

The brief distraction had caused the man to release his grip of Arizona's arm, and she stepped away from him, working at remaining calm. Maybe she could talk her way out of this.

"Look, I don't know what you _think_ I did to you, but I assure you, you've got the wrong person."

Arizona had her hands out in front of her and moved back as far as the wall would allow. She chanced a quick glance to her right. Dead end. She looked up. No windows and no fire escapes. Nothing but solid brick. A pointless dead end alleyway. She looked left, her only escape. But he was currently blocking it, boxing her in. The headlights from a passing car reflected and glinted off the smooth and deadly four inch blade he was now holding loosely, almost mockingly, in his right hand.

"Shut up!" he growled at her. "It's your fucking problem if you don't remember me!" He used the knife and took a half hearted swipe at her hands, and she pulled them quickly out of the way.

Despite all her years of training, she had never once faced a situation where her very life may depend upon what she learned. She told herself to keep breathing. Over and over her mind repeated it. Fear was commanding her to stop, to freeze. But she knew if she stopped breathing, her brain wouldn't function, and her reaction time would be diminished. So despite her fear, she just kept breathing.

"Okay, okay, I'm very sorry if there's something..." she stopped.

Looked at him closely.

Then she understood clearly.

And a flash of anger crossed her face.

"I remember you now," she said evenly. "This," she pointed towards the blade in his hand, "is not the answer, okay." She looked at him, pleading. "You were hurting my friend...I had to stop you."

"_Fuck you_!" he spat back. "You fucking _humiliated_ me!"

Then he smiled, and it was sickening.

"And now I'm going to _destroy_ you."

He advanced slowly towards her, the knife out in front of him, like he was savoring his big moment.

"My..my friend...the police will be here any minute," Arizona cautioned, hands out in front again, eyes trained on the knife.

"Minute's all I need," he answered, nodding his head as he advanced on her.

Arizona stopped talking and assessed her options.

The knife. The _knife_ was the problem. She may not have done a whole lot of weapons training, but she had learned enough to know, you did _not_ fuck around when it came to knives. They were serious, and they almost never missed. She figured one well placed cut and she could very well bleed out right here, alone, before help ever found her.

She decided, in spite of her fear, she must take the knife out of the equation.

She looked at his hand, and quickly judged the distance between it and her own body. About three feet. A little far, but she could adjust for that. She could make it work.

She moved slowly at first, deliberately, placing her left foot out in front of her and across her right. He watched her, amused, never guessing what was to come. She took a quick breath in, and simply allowed her body to do what it had done hundreds, maybe thousands of times before this moment. Her torso, twisted from the placement of her feet, whipped around, bringing her right leg with it. Her body spun hard, like a tightly coiled spring now released, and the heel of her boot violently struck his hand as she completed the turn. She screamed out as she made contact, a verbal expulsion of stress and anger. The knife clattered away down the alley, safely out of reach, and all the fingers of his right hand were now broken and useless.

She completed her follow through, placing both feet firmly back on the ground, and allowed her body to return to an informal fight stance.

He cried out in pain and in shock. He tried to move his fingers, but the bruising and swelling had already begun. The man looked at Arizona, horrified. Then his body slumped, and his face contorted with such rage and disgust that she could feel it burning and swirling the very molecules of air surrounding them in this tight dark alley.

Her eyes widened and she forced her mouth open, taking in as much air as she could.

_React. Anticipate. He's injured and angry. Protect the body. Keep breathing. _

She faintly heard the wailing of a police siren in the background, but didn't let it distract her. He must have heard it too, she saw, because he dropped his broken hand to his side, and lunged desperately for her face with his left fist curled tightly into a ball. The long back swing he took, though, told Arizona all she needed to know about his next move.

He might as well have sent her a goddamn email, and she decided right then and there to end it.

He swung at her, his arm outstretched, so, using a kind of a windmill action, she used her left, then immediately her right forearm to block his punch. She then turned his upper body away from her using his own momentum, so that he was now awkwardly off balance. Quickly, she struck out with the back of her hand and landed a forceful blow to the middle of his handsome face, breaking his nose.

His body lurched from the pain and dark red blood immediately began to gush, but she wasn't done yet.

As she pulled back from the punch, she raised her left leg to ninety degrees, and snapped it out and down towards his knee. Again, the solid heel of her boot made contact, crushing his knee cap, and sending him sprawling to the ground, his leg falling at an unnatural and sickening angle.

She stood motionless over his fractured body as he spat out the blood pooling in his mouth, and heard him screaming at her, crying out in agony and disgrace.

She had beaten him. He was no longer any kind of a threat.

And yet.

She couldn't calm herself, or her breathing. She couldn't stop the rush of adrenaline coursing through her, fuelled by fury and disgust over what he tried to do. To her, and to Calliope.

She calmly stepped around him and used her foot to nudge his bad leg out of the way, exposing his good one. He flailed at her with his arm, eyes wide, but it was useless.

Arizona looked at him, her expression neutral, her intent clear.

She raised her leg.

...

Callie ran fast towards the alley, panicked at what she expected to find. She was only gone about two and a half minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Everyone she knew from the bar, and some she didn't, were following her, including Joe the bartender, wielding his trusty Seattle Mariner's 2001 A.L. Division Series baseball bat. Owen was out in front, urging Callie to run faster. He was desperate to help Arizona, but didn't know where to find her.

"Arizona!" Callie screamed out, hoping for a response as they got closer. There was none, and Callie ran just a little bit faster then, her feet pounding the concrete, her pulse pounding in her ears. "Arizona! We're coming!"

The wailing of the sirens grew louder as they ran.

"There!" she screamed, pointing to the alley entrance as they neared it, and Owen tore on ahead, rounding the corner out of sight. Seconds later, Callie and the rest of the mob skidded to a halt. Joe lumbered a few feet behind them, and used his elbows to push his way to the front, bat at the ready.

A shocked silence fell.

Owen was kneeling over the man's fractured body, doing a quick triage assessment. He looked up at Callie, then glanced briefly back at Arizona. "She looks okay," he said, turning his attention back to the injured stranger on the ground.

Arizona was sitting on the hard ground, her back against the brick, her legs pulled up in front of her body. She was staring at the man sprawled in front of her, but her eyes were unfocused, drifting. There, but not there.

"Arizona?" Callie's voice was barely a whisper as she moved towards her. "Sweetie? Are you hurt?" Callie knelt down, placing a gentle hand on Arizona's shoulder. She noticed the impact bruising, already evident and turning a crimson red on the blonde's forearms. Classic defensive injuries. Callie had seen them dozens of times at the hospital, but never before on someone she...loved. Her heart broke at the sight.

"Arizona..." Callie tried again, her voice a little more urgent.

"He's injured," Arizona quietly interrupted. "He needs to go to the hospital."

The man was screaming obscenities at Owen and at all the bystanders watching on. His humiliation was total and he knew it. He could see it in their eyes.

The police sirens grew almost deafening as two cruisers came to a screeching halt at the scene. The crowd backed away as the officers spilled from their cars, shouting commands to each other and to the crowd, hands on the butt of their holstered weapons. Meredith approached them and began to explain the situation. The officers were joined by paramedics seconds later, and the crowd backed away even more to allow them through with their stretcher.

Owen identified himself as he stood up, apprising the EMT's of all the injuries he had identified so far.

"Thanks Dr. Hunt. Will you be accompanying us to the hospital?" they asked as they transferred the injured man onto the bed.

"I will," he nodded, "but considering this man just attacked two of Seattle Grace's doctors, it's would probably be in his best interest if you transported him to Mercy West instead." He looked down at his patient with a rare indifference. "His injuries are not life threatening."

Two officers approached Arizona while a third walked down the alley to retrieve the knife. The fourth unclipped his handcuffs and snapped one end on the gurney and the other on the man's good wrist, informing him of impending criminal charges.

"Ma'am...are you injured as well?" the female officer asked, bending down to the blonde's level.

Arizona looked up into kind eyes, and at the hand held out to her. She took it and stood up.

"No...no, I'm fine," Arizona responded, shaking her head, her gaze finally coming into focus. She could feel another's eyes on her, and turned, finally seeing Callie for the first time. Arizona opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Her mind was numb, and anyway, how could she possibly explain herself, explain what she had done to him. Even more, what she had _wanted_ to do.

"She has some bruising," Callie brushed her hand lightly against Arizona's arms, "here...and here."

She looked at the officers. "He's the one who attacked _us_. You have the knife." She glanced back at Arizona, then to the officers again. "I know how this may look to you, but..."

The lead officer held up her hand. "We have a pretty good idea what's happened here. We just need to take a statement from you both, but we can do that later tonight." She looked at Arizona. "You really should get those bruises looked at. You could have a fracture or something."

"I'm an orthopaedic surgeon at Seattle Grace," Callie told them, giving Arizona a quick smile. "Believe me, I'll make sure she gets checked out."

"Okay. Well, the other officers will be accompanying the assailant, so we can give you a ride to emerg if you like."

Callie nodded. "Thanks, that'd be great."

Arizona spoke up.

"No," she said, her voice firm. She looked at the officer. "I'm fine, really. I don't need an x-ray. My arms are just bruised." She looked down at the redness and swelling. Her face revealed no emotion. "I'll come with you now to make a statement if that's okay. I'd rather get it over with."

"Arizona..." Callie interjected, "You really need to let me examine your arms, okay." She noticed the blonde had tucked them behind her body, against the wall, out of sight.

Arizona shook her head in response. "No, I'm fine. But thank you anyway." She turned to the officers. "Can we get going then? I'm quite tired and really need to rest."

The cops looked from Arizona to Callie, and back again. They could tell something wasn't right, but they let it go and steered Arizona through the crowd and into the back of their vehicle.

Callie stood speechless. _Thank you anyway. _Arizona had spoken to her like she was some kind of _stranger_. Like she didn't even know her. Callie choked back a sob as she followed them to the police cruiser.

Arizona was shutting down and Callie didn't know how to stop it.


	10. Chapter 10

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

Chapter 10

A/N – Okay this chapter is a bit short, but it was either post what I have now, or make you wait another week. BTW, thank you so much to everyone who takes time out of their busy day to read, and to review, my little story. It means so much that people are enjoying it.

...

It had been three days.

The hospital had given Arizona the rest of the week off to recover from her injuries. Callie had called and texted numerous times, but Arizona hadn't responded. She wasn't ready. Something in her had snapped that night. Something she didn't recognize, and it scared her, disturbed her, deeply. The bullied had become the bully. Her moral compass was off and she needed to find her true North again. She just needed a big enough magnet to pull her there.

She picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi Dad."

"Hello Sweetheart! This is a surprise, how are you?"

"I'm okay, how are you and Mom doing?"

"We're good, hang on, I'll get her for you..."

"No! Dad, it's actually _you_ I need to talk to...if you have a minute."

"Oh." His tone grew wary, quiet. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah..." she paused, tears threatening.

"Arizona?" he prompted. "What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath in, then exhaled loudly.

"Something happened, earlier this week..."

And she told him. Everything. About Callie. About outside the bar. In the alley. And, about what she did afterward. He listened, quietly, as a father would, feeling the rage inside him grow, then subside a little, hearing his daughter wasn't injured. She was an adult, he knew that, and fully capable of looking after herself, but to him she would always be his little girl.

"Well," he began, keeping his voice even, "let me say I'm very glad you, and Callie, weren't hurt, but honestly Arizona, I don't see the problem. Sounds like self defence to me." He paused. "What are the local police saying about it?"

"Nothing as far as I know. Apparently the guy had a warrant out for assault already. They expect he'll be in prison for some time if convicted."

This made the elder Robbins audibly happier. "Well there you go! He has a history of assault. It's a good thing you stopped him then."

"Yeah, but Dad..." Arizona was growing frustrated. He wasn't getting it.

"What? Tell me."

She exhaled loudly again, exasperated. "It's not _him_ I'm worried about!" She stood up quickly from the couch and began to pace the room. "I kept on hurting him..._after_ he was down, like some kind of...of...thug!"

Her father tried to interject, "Arizona..."

"No!" she yelled, and instantly regretted it, closing her eyes briefly. "Dad, I'm sorry."

They shared a long pause.

Arizona began again, this time her tone a little more somber. "It's just...every week I teach other adults and little kids about self control, about having respect for their opponent and for themselves. How can I continue to do that, knowing what I did?"

"Have you talked to anybody at the dojo about what happened?"

"No. I haven't spoken to anyone, well, except for the police that night."

"What about Callie?"

"I...don't know what I'd say to her. She must think I'm some kind of monster."

"Has she tried to call you?"

"Yes, repeatedly. And text."

He scoffed lightly. "I'm sorry Arizona, but those don't seem like the actions of someone who thinks you're a monster."

"But..."

"Arizona," he interrupted, "I'm going to stop you right there. You obviously called me for some advice, so here it is. This man, who I would like five minutes alone with myself right now, tried to attack you both, twice. You, and someone you care for...maybe even love...were threatened."

"Mmm hmm..." Arizona responded, fighting back tears.

"Right. What you did, how you reacted, was completely understandable. I would have done the same thing if it were me in that alley instead of you. I would go to _any_ length to protect myself and your mother, and you. Frankly, I'm proud of you."

That did it. Arizona felt hot tears stream down her cheeks, and she emitted a loud sob.

"Sweetheart." He paused, searching for the right words. "You're human. You were angry and you may have let that_ anger _control you for a few moments, instead of your head. But you did stop yourself, don't forget that. Yes, you broke his other kneecap too, but then _you stopped, _on your own, when you realized what you'd done. That _proves_ to me that you do have self control, that you are not just a thug, as you put it. The very fact that you're upset about this is a _good thing_. Many people wouldn't be. But it shows me that you're still the kind, and moral, and caring person your mom and I raised. Right?"

"Right," she answered quietly.

He continued. "And I guarantee you, _no one_ thinks you're a monster. Not the police, not your colleagues, and not Callie. So call her." He smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "That's an order, soldier."

"Dad..." Arizona smiled back, and flopped back down on the couch, grabbing a tissue to blow her nose.

"I know...bad joke." He lowered his voice as he spoke next. "Now, speaking of your mom...who's gonna tell her about all this, you or me? 'Cause you know how upset she'll be when she hears you were hurt, even if it is just some bruising."

Arizona hissed. "Oooh, hadn't thought about that!" She paused, thinking quickly. "Maybe if you tell her and try to keep her calm, then I'll call later on Skype and she can see I'm okay. What do you think?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Okay." She let out a faint laugh, and it made her father smile.

"Feel a bit better?" he asked.

"Yeah...thanks Dad...I do."

"This might stay with you for a while, you know, but keeping quiet about it won't help. Talk to people at your dojo, talk to me, and talk to Callie. Remember, you weren't the only one there. She was there too, and she's probably scared as well. It's not fair to shut her out."

"Oh god!" Arizona gasped. "I hadn't even thought of that. You're right!" She shook her head, cursing herself for being so selfish, so indulgent in her own confusion. "Dad, I gotta go."

"I know. We'll talk soon. And, take care of yourself."

"I will, you too. Bye Dad."

Arizona hung up and quickly typed out a message on her phone.

...

Callie looked down at her cell as a text came through.

**I'm so sorry for not talking to you about all this. I'm an idiot. Please forgive me. Can I see you later?**

Mark saw the look on Callie's face and figured only one thing could make her smile like that.

"Blondie finally get in touch with you?" he asked, ever tactful.

Callie typed back quickly as she answered him. "Yes, it's from _Arizona_. She has a name, Mark."

"Sorry, sorry. Okay, well, that's good, right?"

"Yep." She stood up as she gathered her things from the from the lunch table, her eyes shining. "It's good."

...

A/N – Next stop...happier times...;)


	11. Chapter 11

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

Chapter 11

A/N – Summer is a really hard time to write...so much going on, and who wants to be stuck indoors writing when the weather has been so lovely? Not me, that's who! That said, I sincerely do apologize for the delay. Now...last I recall, Callie was on her way over... :)

...

Arizona scanned her surroundings. The apartment had become more than a bit messy during her self imposed hiatus, and Callie was due to arrive in an hour.

Time for a bit of domestic triage.

She jammed every dirty dish she could find into the dishwasher and hit 'start', then scooped up the pile of dirty clothing teetering on the back of the couch and spilling over onto the floor in one fell swoop, and half dragged and shoved all of it into the bedroom closet.

The bathroom was next. She gave it a quick once over with some cleanser before hopping into the shower, finally feeling three days worth of grime and guilt gather and swirl quickly down the drain. She used her fruity scented body wash, the one she knew Callie liked, and took extra care when shaving. 'Cause Arizona was _done_ waiting.

She towelled off as she rummaged through her closet to find something clean to wear. She settled on a snug fitting scoop necked white t-shirt and grey sweatpants, and as she was pulling a brush through her damp locks, she heard a tentative, quiet knock.

She hurried to the door and yanked it open.

"Hi," Callie said, hesitating. "Your neighbour let me in the building. Hope that's okay."

"Of course it's okay," Arizona answered, stepping back to let Callie pass. "Thanks for coming over so quickly."

Callie removed her jacket and slipped out of her boots, and made her way into the living room. "I wanted to see you. And the Chief was understanding. He gave me the rest of the day off."

Arizona followed behind. "That's nice of him. He's been great with me too. Told me to take all the time I need."

Callie turned to face the blonde, and nodded. "That's good, Arizona."

Arizona gestured to the couch. "Why don't you have a seat, and I'll get us something to drink. I can order a pizza from that place you like, if you're hungry..."

Callie stepped close, cutting her off.

"I'm not hungry. I just want to know that you're okay." She cautiously placed a hand on Arizona's shoulder. "Can I see your arms?"

Arizona swallowed hard and held them out.

Callie hesitated just a second, then took each arm gently in her hands, supporting its weight, lightly stroking her thumb along the faded bruising, squeezing tenderly to check for signs of fracture or other damage. "Does it hurt?" she asked quietly.

Arizona shook her head as they both gazed down at her arm. "No. It doesn't hurt at all."

Callie took a deep breath in, then exhaled quickly. "That's good." She looked up to find Arizona staring at her, tears pooling in her impossibly blue eyes.

"Callie, I'm so sorry..."

The brunette hushed her as she gathered Arizona into a strong embrace, struggling desperately to contain her own tears. It was no use.

They stood that way for several minutes, until finally they pulled back to look at each other, both of them sniffling and sobbing. Callie spoke first.

"All this time I thought you were mad at me..."

"What? No!" Arizona was incredulous. "How could you think that? God, Callie, I could never be mad at _you_."

"Then what?" Callie asked. "Why wouldn't you talk to me...or see me?"

Arizona's gaze dropped to the floor, ashamed. "I thought...after what I did to that guy...how I hurt him...I thought you would think I...well, I was afraid of what you would _think_ of me."

"Are you kidding me?" Callie lifted the blonde's chin. "Arizona, look at me." Callie smiled at her, and it was soft and warm and loving. She placed her hands firmly on Arizona's shoulders. "You...have _nothing _to be embarrassed or worried about." Callie paused, reflecting. "Do you want to know what I think about when I remember that night? Do you?"

Arizona nodded as she wiped her at her teary eyes with the back of her hand.

Callie continued. "I remember you begging me to leave...to get help...but I think, really, you were just trying to protect me...to keep me from harm, right?"

"Yeah..." Arizona responded.

"Yeah." Callie nodded. "That's what I thought."

"But..." Arizona started.

"Stop. Just stop." Callie placed her thumb lightly against Arizona's lips. "You were willing to put yourself in danger to protect me. So...'cause you asked..._that's_ what I think about you, and about that night. Okay? Nothing else."

"Okay," Arizona answered shyly. "But, I _am_ sorry I didn't call you. That was very selfish of me. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to you...honestly...I just didn't know what to say."

Callie smiled and leaned in to steal a quick kiss. Then two. "Listen...let's talk about all this later, huh? I missed you and I _really_ missed being close to you." A third kiss, this one lingering just a bit longer.

Arizona smiled against Callie's soft full lips. "Mmmm, I missed you too. It feels like much more than three days since I've seen you."

"I know the feeling..." Callie wrapped her arms around Arizona and pulled her close, kissing the blonde's neck and earlobe, feeling Arizona sigh with happiness at the touch.

Arizona shifted to bring their lips back together and then deepened the kiss, marveling at how good it felt to be holding Callie again.

"You know," Arizona began, pulling their lips apart after a few very long seconds, "before we were so _rudely interrupted_, I seem to recall that we were headed somewhere..._specific_...that night. Do you remember, Calliope?"

"Hmmm, let me think..." the brunette teased. "Nope, don't seem to recall that at all." She traced her finger lightly along the low neckline of Arizona's top. "Maybe you can...help me remember?"

Arizona lifted the sides of Callie's shirt and ran her fingertips lightly across the bare skin she found there, smiling as Callie closed her eyes and shivered with arousal.

"Do you recall anything _now_?" Arizona asked, her voice seductive and low in Callie's ear.

"Mmm hmm..." Callie managed, nodding as she blinked her eyes open.

"Good," Arizona smirked. Then she turned them both around and took a step backward, tugging against the belt loops of Callie's jeans. "I've wanted you since the first time I laid eyes on you Callie. And we waited...we _agreed_ to wait." She shook her head lightly, her damp curls tickling against her bare neck. "But I _can't_ wait anymore. I'm done waiting. I want you...in my bed..._now_." She paused, leaning her back against the closed bedroom door. "But, if you're still not ready..."

Callie didn't let her finish that thought. The brunette roughly pulled at her own top, yanking it quickly and messily up over her head, dropping it where she stood. She leaned in and captured Arizona's lips in hers, pulling desperately at the blonde's shirt too, separating their lips long enough to get the material up and over Arizona's head. It too landed in a heap on the floor.

"Arizona...I want this as much as you." Callie spoke quickly between kisses. "That night at the dojo...after our first date...hell, any time I saw you, it's all I could think about. So...yeah...I'm ready. I want you too."

Arizona reached behind her body and turned the knob. They pushed open the door, giggling and peeling off the rest of their clothing with each clumsy step.

...

"When do you have to be back at work?" Arizona asked, her arms wrapped around Callie's waist, her leg thrown over Callie's thigh, and her head nuzzled firmly between chin and breast.

"I'm due back tomorrow..." Callie saw the giant pout that was cast in her direction, and reconsidered. "But...I suppose I could be _persuaded_ to call in sick."

"Yay!" Arizona hugged even tighter. She looked up at Callie. "Could this persuasion possibly involve some dinner? I seem to have worked up quite an appetite," she smirked.

"That's odd..." Callie smiled back, "I have too...so how about an extra large double cheese...you know, in case we need the energy for _later on_."

Arizona bounded out of bed and hurried from the room, only to return seconds later brandishing her cell phone. "Your wish is my command."

Now it was Callie's turn to smirk. "Careful...I just may hold you to that..."

An hour later they had pushed the half eaten pizza to the end of the bed and were once again snuggled firmly in each other's arms.

"Can I ask you something, Arizona?"

"Of course."

"Well..." Callie searched for the right words. "That night...you know...when we found you in the alley...well, you acted like you didn't even know me." Arizona opened her mouth to speak, so Callie rushed to get the rest of it out. "And then after, at the police station, you left without me. And you wouldn't answer any of my texts or calls...I'm just trying to understand why. Were you mad at me? Because I left you to get help...because I didn't stay in the alley with you?"

Arizona was silent for a long moment, then she turned her body to face Callie and sat up, the sheet slipping halfway down her naked torso. She consciously pulled it up around her again before she spoke, and tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ears.

"I'm sorry for how I behaved around you. And I'm sorry that I didn't try to talk to you at all. I know now that it was wrong and selfish of me."

"I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, Arizona. I just want to understand what happened and why. Maybe we can avoid this kind of...miscommunication...in the future."

"Calliope...I wasn't distant with you because you left to get help...you have to know that, right? I _wanted_ you to leave, I wanted..." Arizona hesitated, until Callie nudged her to continue. "The guy had a knife, Callie. I was _terrified_. I've never had to actually _use_ my training in real life before. I just...I wanted you to not be anywhere near him if he decided to use it. I wanted you to be safe."

"I know that now. Thank you for telling me," Callie answered.

"Then later," Arizona continued, the words spilling out of her now, "Callie...I had beaten him. I kicked the knife away and broke his fingers. He got so enraged, and panicked...I think...when he heard the police siren, that he just kind of lunged at me. But I could see it coming. I knew what he was going to do, so I just decided to keep attacking until he was down. But then...I didn't stop." She looked away, embarrassed. "After...when he was on the ground and I could hear the siren getting louder, and he was still screaming and swearing at me, _I didn't stop_. I...I wanted to make him _hurt_. I wanted to make him pay for hurting _you_ that first time and for what he had just tried to do to _me_."

"That's totally understandable, Arizona."

"But it goes against everything I am, everything I teach at the dojo. I don't _hurt_ people. I just _don't_. I don't even kill _spiders_ when I see them. I always try to capture them and release them outside." She smiled in spite of herself, but only for a moment, and her face grew somber again. "I saw how people looked at me in the alley. Derek, Cristina, Owen. I could see the shock on their faces...the alarm, the pity? Maybe even fear. It _scared me_, and I was so deeply ashamed."

Callie shook her head as she took Arizona's hand in hers. "Do you want to know what your colleagues think of you?" she asked, not waiting for an answer. "Cristina and Meredith happen to think you're Wonder Woman, Derek and Owen have remarked openly about how they admired your _self control_, and Joe told me you never have to pay for another drink in the bar if you promise to show him a few karate moves. That's what people are saying about you." Callie's dark eyes searched for, and held, Arizona's sad blue gaze. "If you saw shock, well, frankly, I think I was shocked at first too. That outcome...it just wasn't what any of us were expecting to find. And then I just wanted to hold you and comfort you, and you shut me out. It was hard to deal with."

"I know...I'm sorry. My dad said the same thing. He said I wasn't being fair to you because you were there too and were probably scared and needed someone to talk to. He told me to call you."

"Ahh, well, your dad sounds like a smart guy. Maybe I'll get to meet him someday?"

"Play your cards right, Doctor Torres, and you just might." Arizona settled back against Callie's warm body and pulled the sheet tight around both of them.

"So...we're good?" Callie asked.

"We're good," Arizona nodded back.

...

So, like? Don't like? I was trying to have it seem genuine...sincere. Not too schmaltzy.

Did I hit the mark?

Drop me a line or review if you get a chance. Thanks again for reading.


	12. Chapter 12

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

Chapter 12

The shift in seasons, from fall to winter, brought the usual changes in weather and wardrobe. T-shirts and sunglasses were replaced by raincoats and umbrellas, much like the large black one Callie was holding close to her body as she waited for Arizona to decide which movie she wanted to see. Her patience thinned as the rain poured harder.

"Just _pick one_ already, it's raining more now and I'm getting _soaked_, Arizona!"

"I know, okay. I'm standing out here too. I just can't decide between Disney or vampires. Which wold you rather see, again?"

Callie exhaled loudly. It was the fourth time Arizona had asked, and the answer had been the same every time.

"I don't _care_. I told you already...several times...I just want us to spend some time together." The brunette looked away, mumbling. "I practically never _see _you anymore."

"What...?" Arizona asked, distracted again by the marquee outside the theatre.

"Nothing..." Callie answered flatly, turning back to the blonde.

"Okay...anyway, I've decided." Arizona held up a triumphant finger, "Vampires it is!"

"Great," Callie said. Smiling, she stepped to the entrance and held the door open as Arizona strode past her. "Then let's go."

Finally inside, Callie shook off the clinging droplets of water from her umbrella and snapped it shut. "Popcorn?" she asked.

"Mmm...I'll just have some of yours," Arizona replied, making a beeline straight for the candy counter.

"Of course you will," Callie sighed as she paid for and pocketed their tickets, and joined Arizona in the short line-up.

They located their theatre entrance, walked up the inclined ramp into the muted darkness, and looked around. The seats were virtually empty except for three teenage girls sitting together in the back row, all intently staring down at their phones, texting like mad. Probably to eachother. Arizona pointed to a row in the middle and Callie gave a quick nod, so they stepped carefully across the sticky floor and bustled about, removing jackets, balancing popcorn and drinks, and finally settling beside eachother in the cramped seats.

"This is nice," Arizona said. "What was the last movie we saw together, do you remember?"

Callie thought about it, and came up blank. "Nope. No idea. Must have been a while ago if neither of us can recall it."

"Huh..." Arizona said. "I guess so." She squeezed Callie's hand and smiled sweetly. "Well, we're here now."

"Yep," Callie answered, glancing back as the girls seemed to have taken a break from their phones and were now talking and laughing loudly with eachother.

"I hope they don't keep that up when the movie starts," Callie commented warily.

"I'm sure they'll stop," Arizona hushed her, squeezing Callie's hand even harder and pulling it over into her own lap. She knew Callie did not deal well with chatty theatregoers once the movie had started. Arguements usually ensued.

"So, training's going well." Arizona began, hoping it would offer Callie a distraction.

"What?" Callie asked, turning around in her seat once more.

Arizona tugged at her arm, and Callie shifted back.

"I said, the training's going well. For the tournament. You know...the one I'm _competing_ in next weekend."

"Oh, that's good to hear," Callie replied, averting her eyes. It was a sore spot for her, but she was determined not to let Arizona know. She would say Callie was being was ridiculous. And childish. And she'd probably be right.

"Yeah, and everyone's been really helpful. Especially Joanne. Honestly, I'd be a lot more worried about it if she hadn't been willing to spend so much time sparring with me and practicing my defensive techniques." She picked some lint off her pant leg and flicked it away. "She thinks my speed and reaction time has improved a lot, too."

"That's great," Callie said again, though her tone was hollow and flat, and it caused Arizona to give her a quizzical look.

Then the room dimmed, and the girls behind them, thankfully, fell silent. Callie eased her hand from Arizona's grasp and, almost imperceptibly, shifted her body away from her girlfriend.

...

"That's better, but I still saw it coming. You were too slow with your foot placement that time, I think."

"I know...I know..." Arizona stood bent at the waist, her chest heaving as she sucked in much needed air. "I'm getting tired, is all." She glanced at the clock on the wall, and groaned. "And look how late it is." She stood up again and smiled, sweat dripping down her face and neck. "Callie's gonna _kill_ me! I really should call her."

"I'm sure she won't _kill_ you," Joanne replied, then smirked, "but your opponent just _might_ if you keep showing her what you're planning."

"Okay," Arizona breathed out as she looked at the clock once more, then stepped back to her line on the mat. "Let's work on some blocks this time.."

A while later, first Arizona, then Joanne, had showered and changed back into their regular clothes. As they lugged their gym bags up the stairs, Joanne suggested, not at all innocently, a quick drink to unwind after such a strenuous workout.

"We can go to that place down the street." She nudged the hesitant blonde in the shoulder. "Come on...one drink. To celebrate your impending victory this weekend, and the giant trophy you'll be winning for the dojo. You know Kancho will be proud of you," Joanne offered.

Arizona shook her head as they stepped out onto the sidewalk. She pulled the door closed and locked it. "No, I wouldn't say he'll be _proud_." She turned and headed in the direction of the pub, Joanne happily stepping in line beside her. "He dislikes tournaments as much as I do, but he also knows that trophies bring people in the door, and financially, the dojo could really use some new members."

"Are you saying you don't _want_ to fight in the tournament?"

"Honestly, no, I don't. But he asked, and I could never refuse him. Not after all he's taught me and done for me."

Joanne nodded her agreement, and they walked the rest of the short distance in silence.

...

Callie sat on the couch in Arizona's apartment, waiting for her girlfriend to get home. It was quite late, and Callie had been worried for some time now, but she didn't know what to do about it. She had called and texted, but there was no response at all from Arizona. It wasn't as if they had any _specific_ plans or anything, and Callie knew that Arizona would be staying behind at the dojo to train with Joanne. So maybe they were still sparring and Arizona hadn't had a chance to check her phone yet.

Or, maybe they were lying on the mat in the back room, lazily exploring eachother's naked and sweaty bodies.

Callie shook her head and shuddered at the mental image. She reached for the remote and turned on the tv, desperate for any kind of a distraction. Twenty minutes later she heard the sound of a key in the lock and stood up as a slightly drunk and bumbling Arizona pushed the door open and stumbled into the hall, dropping her gym bag as she moved. Arizona seemed to find that funny, and chuckled to herself.

"Hello," came the clipped tone from the living room.

"Wha...Callie!" Arizona broke out into a big goofy smile, and she quickly pried off her jacket and boots as she stepped toward her girlfriend.

Callie moved to put the length of the couch between them, and Arizona stopped short.

"What?" the blonde asked. "What's wrong?"

"You're drunk." The words were cold, accusatory.

Arizona stood up fully now, sobriety coming quickly when she registered the look on Callie's face. "We...we went for a couple of drinks after, is all." Arizona gestured around the room. "I didn't know you were _waiting_ here for me."

"You would have," Callie responded, "if you had bothered to check your phone tonight."

Arizona reached in her pocket and pulled out her cell phone, scrutinizing the display screen. _No New Messages_ came on at first glance, but when she dug a little further, she saw she had a text and a missed call. "I...I don't...I checked it, I swear." She shook her head in confusion. "There were no messages, earlier. I don't understand..."

"Whatever, Arizona." Callie cut her off, and folded her arms. "You could have called me too, you know. Why does it have to be me who always calls you?" Callie was getting angrier now.

"Wait a damn minute, Callie. That's not fair! I call you _all the time_, and you don't always answer either, but do I go around making you feel like shit? _No_! I _don't_!" Arizona spat back. "And anyway, it was only supposed to be one quick drink...but then she bought me another, and then we both had a few and..." Arizona stopped abruptly.

Callie uncrossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "And _what_, exactly?"

Arizona fidgeted. She knew she was caught, and no matter how she explained it, it would still look very, very bad.

"She tried to...she kissed me."

Callie's expression grew tight. "Did you kiss her back?" she asked evenly.

"No! Callie! No!" Arizona took a step forward, pleading. Callie took a step back. "I...it took a second to _understand_ what...I was a bit drunk...but as soon as I _did _realize, I pushed her away. Honest!"

"Mmm hmm...tell me what happened."

Arizona let her arms fall to her side and dropped her head. She took a breath and looked up and met Callie's eyes again. "It was later than I had planned when we finished sparring at the dojo, and Joanne, she suggested getting a drink, you know, to celebrate my upcoming victory, or whatever."

Callie rolled her eyes.

"I know, it's stupid," Arizona nodded. "Anyway, I had checked my phone in the changeroom after my shower and there were no new messages, so I just figured you went out with Mark, or something. And I thought, well, Joanne has been so helpful with my training, the least I could do was go for _one drink_ with the woman."

"Fine. So why didn't you let me know?"

Arizona considered her words carefully. "I guess I should have, but I know you're not crazy about Joanne, and I didn't want to upset you..."

Callie laughed maniacally as she threw her hands in the air. "Jesus, Arizona, and _now_ do you _see_ why I don't _like_ her!"

"Yes, okay, I was wrong to not call you, but I was just trying to spare your feelings. I knew you'd be jealous."

"Well, if you _know_ that something is going to make your girlfriend jealous, don't you think, _maybe_, you should avoid doing it?"

"Callie, god! It was just supposed to be one drink!" Arizona's headache was coming on like a freight train, and she was quickly losing patience with this arguement. "I've done _everything_ I can think of to reassure you that I'm not even remotely interested in Joanne. It's _you_ I love, you _know_ that."

Callie shook her head. "I don't know what to believe anymore. We never see each other, you're always either working or at the dojo with _her_...it's like you don't want to spend any time with me at all!"

"That's not fair. You know I have to do this. I don't want to, but Kancho asked me personally. I would do anything for him. And I can't let him down by not being fully prepared. He'd be more disappointed by _that, _not if I lose. I have to do the best I possibly can, for him, not for me."

"Well, I think it's crazy you're putting more importance on this one tournament than spending time with me."

"Ugh...Callie, look, I have a massive headache...I'm sorry I upset you, but I really need to lie down and sleep this off. Can we talk about this later? Please?"

"Fine," Callie huffed as she hurried to the door and grabbed her jacket.

Arizona turned and watched her leave. "Will you still be coming to the tournament with me this weekend?" she asked, hopeful.

"Uh...I don't think so, Arizona. It sounds like you already have everyone you _need_."

Arizona stood stunned as the door slammed shut in front of her, angry footsteps trudging heavily down the stairs.

She turned on her heels, shuffled back slowly towards the couch, and whispered sadly to the empty room, "But...it's _you_ I need."

...

Oh geez...more drama.

Will it ever end?

Yes, and soon. I promise.

:)


	13. Chapter 13

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

Chapter 13

A/N – This is the second to last chapter. And yes, for those who felt that Arizona has some serious making up to do, I agree. You're right. But Callie has to learn to trust a little more, don't you think?

...

"Can you believe she _lied_?" Callie asked, pacing beside Mark's couch as she quickly tossed back the rest of her wine.

Mark dutifully passed the bottle, and Callie filled her glass again.

"What _exactly_ did she lie about?" Mark asked, treading carefully. His friend was angry. And hurt. And indignant as hell.

"About _Joanne_!" Callie raised her voice, more than a little annoyed. "About the fact that she _kissed_ her. And...and...frankly, _who knows_ what else at this point!"

Mark eyed her silently for a moment, then spoke up.

"Cal...look...you know I'm always on your side and I _always_ will be, but I think you're making too much of this."

"What?" Callie choked back, stopping and slamming her empty glass down on the coffee table.

He shrugged at her. "You told me last night that she _volunteered_ the fact that Joanne kissed her. _And_ you told me that Arizona pushed her away as soon as it happened. She's devoted to you, Callie. Anyone can see that. And she's made it clear she's not interested in this Joanne chick..."

"But why was she even there with her _in the first place_? She knows that bitch has a thing for her, and she knows I don't trust..."

"_Who_ don't you trust?" Mark cut her off.

"_Joanne_, Mark...I don't trust Joanne."

"So...you trust Arizona?"

Callie opened her mouth to respond, then stopped. She looked off to the side, then back at her friend. She flopped down on the couch and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Yes, I do trust her," she finally replied. "I do. But it hurts me that she doesn't seem to take my feelings into consideration when it comes to Joanne._ I'm _her girlfriend._ I'm_ the one she says she loves. So why does it feel lately that she's putting this other woman ahead of me?"

After a long moment, he looked sidelong at her and asked, "Are you going to the tournament?"

"Ha! No way!" Callie scoffed at him, sitting up.

He regarded her, silently.

"What?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"I was just thinking...what if she gets hurt? I imagine things can get pretty rough, which must be why she was doing all that training in the first place..." He raised his hands when Callie started to protest. "I'm just saying, what if she _does_ get hurt? Could you live with the fact that you weren't there to help her? What if she has a flashback to that night in the alley? What if..."

"Okay, Mark. _Enough_," Callie warned him.

He stood up quickly, and offered his hand to his best friend.

"I'll go with you if you want. We can sit in the back...she won't even have to know we're there..."

...

Arizona arrived early at the University's gymnasium. She stood in line with dozens of other participants waiting to register and pay the entrance fee, and scanned the crowded hallways, hoping she might catch a glimpse of Callie. She didn't really expect to, but looked anyway.

She shuffled forward in line until it was her turn.

"Event?" the young man asked, not even looking up as she passed him her registration form and some cash. He glanced over the form and quickly counted the money.

"Hi," she responded. "Umm, kumite. Twenty five to forty five," she offered.

"Belt?"

"Black. Fourth dan."

"School?"

"Pacific Dojo, Seattle."

"Okay," he said, finally looking up at her. "You're age group starts around three o'clock. Ring number nine probably, but just keep an eye out for when they call it. So far you're the seventh competitor, so it'll go in heats."

Arizona nodded as he spoke, paying keen attention.

"Number of heats will depend on final number of people competing," he continued. "We'll know more when registration closes." He passed her a legal form to sign. "Take this with you and read it. Must be signed and given to the judges table before you compete. It's just a standard waiver for any potential injuries you may sustain, and outlines the rules for fighting, such as no head shots, etcetera."

"Okay, thanks. I'll read it over. Where can I get changed?" she asked.

"Down the hall," he pointed, "then make a left. Women's locker room. You can store your coat and shoes and stuff there, but we're not responsible if anything goes missing."

"Uh, right. Thanks..."

"Yep, good luck." He looked past her. "Next?"

Arizona made her way down the hall, then turned left, then pushed open the door to the locker room. Wishing she had remembered to bring a padlock with her, she dropped her duffle bag beside her as she sat down on the long wooden bench and began to remove her boots. She took a casual look around at some of the others in the room. Mostly young girls and teens with their moms, but a few of the other's in gi's were in her age group. She wondered if she'd be fighting against any of them. She was pulling on her white pants and jacket when she heard a familiar voice, and cringed.

"Arizona! Hi."

Joanne sat down beside her, a little too close, a little to familiar.

Arizona slid over a couple feet, and considered what she should say.

Joanne noticed. "What?" she asked, her hand on Arizona's shoulder.

Arizona shook her head. "Jo, don't. Please."

"What? Arizona..." Joanne smiled at her playfully, flirtatiously, and ran her finger slowly down the length of Arizona's arm.

Arizona abruptly stood up and shoved the rest of her belongings into her locker. She slammed the door shut and hesitated a second before turning to face Joanne.

"Look, _Joanne_, Callie's really angry about what happened the other night."

"And what exactly happened, Arizona?"

"You _know_ what happened," she retorted, leaning down and lowering her voice. "You _kissed_ me."

"And you kissed me back."

Arizona stood up quickly, appalled. "I did _not_ kiss you back!"

"Sure seemed like it to me..."

"I wasn't...I was a bit drunk, okay...and it took me a second to realize that you were being more than just..._friendly_."

Some of the mom's in the room glanced over, mild concern registered on their faces.

Arizona shook her head and looked pointedly at Joanne, still seated. She lowered her voice. "I'm not having this argument with you. I have a fight to prepare for, and my head is nowhere near ready for it. All I can think about is..." She stopped herself. "You know what? Never mind. Good luck with your kata."

Arizona strode from the room, angrily tying together the strings on her gi. She got halfway down the hall, and realized she had forgotten her belt and the legal form she was supposed to sign. She considered going back for them later, after all, she didn't need them right this second.

"Screw it," she mumbled. She wasn't going to tip toe around the woman. She'd just be quick about it, that's all.

What she found surprised the hell out of her. Arizona rounded the length of lockers to find Joanne standing at _her_ locker, now open, staring intently down at the blonde's cellphone as she scrolled through it.

Arizona rushed over and grabbed Joanne hard by the arm, spinning her around.

Joanne, startled, dropped the phone, and it hit the vinyl floor with a clatter.

"What in the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" Arizona hissed.

"Arizona...I'm sorry...I just...I thought I heard it ring...so I was just going to see who it was and tell you later when I saw you..."

Arizona bent down and picked up the phone, checking for damage. She turned away from the stammering woman and looked at the display. It wasn't on the calls screen at all. Joanne had been reading her text messages. And finally, Arizona saw exactly what Callie had been trying to get across to her. Only, Callie had seen it all along.

Arizona felt foolish, like she had been played this whole time. She turned around, angry.

"_You_. The other night, at the dojo, it was _you_ who messed with my phone, wasn't it? You cleared my messages from Callie, so I would think she hadn't bothered to call me. So I would agree to go for a drink with you. So you could..."

"Arizona..."

"Are you really so manipulative? Do you hate me that much that you would want to ruin the best thing in my life?"

"God Arizona, I don't _hate_ you, can't you see that? I'm _in love_ with you."

Arizona flinched, surprised at the admission.

"I _have been_ for a long time, I just didn't have the courage to say anything before, and then you started seeing Callie, and I got jealous. It was stupid, I know."

"No, it was_ incredibly_ stupid, and dishonest, and hurtful."

Joanne looked away, no longer able to meet Arizona's accusing eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered as tears began to form.

"I'm in love with _Callie_, Joanne. You know that. Completely, _head over heels_ in love with her. We," she indicated between the two of them, "were _never_ more that friends, ever." Arizona dropped her hand to her side. "And now, even that's been ruined."

Joanne tore her gaze back to Arizona. "What? You don't have to do that. I said I was sorry. I'll never do anything like that again...Arizona, please."

"No. Stop." Arizona put up her hand, and was silent for a long moment. "I can't _make_ you leave the dojo, so _I_ will. And that'll be the end of it." Arizona turned to leave. "I just hope I haven't screwed things up too much with Callie."

...

Callie and Mark found a couple of seats at the back of the bleachers and settled in. They scanned the huge gymnasium, but couldn't spot Arizona.

"Maybe she's already competed?" Mark offered.

"No," Callie shook her head distractedly. "She told me earlier that her event is usually among the last ones."

Mark pointed towards one of the judge's tables. "Want me to go ask?"

Callie smiled warmly at him. "Could you? Thanks Mark."

"No prob, kid. Be right back." He stood up and climbed over her to the aisle, then lumbered down the metal steps to floor level.

Callie watched him go, then returned her gaze to the competitor's area. She recognized a few young men and women from the dojo, and smiled at their serious expressions as they practised with each other, preparing for their upcoming event.

"Women's kumite starts in half an hour." Mark had returned.

"Okay, so maybe she's not here yet," Callie wondered.

"She's here," he said, sitting down beside his friend again. "She's already registered and checked in at the table." He pointed across the gym to the left. "Ring number 9, they said."

Callie followed his line of sight and found Arizona immediately. She was sitting on the floor, legs pulled up into her body, watching the young men's fight currently taking place in the ring. At least that's how it looked at first. Callie squinted her eyes, and could see that Arizona was actually staring ahead into space, looking blankly at nothing at all.

Like that night.

"There she is," Callie whispered aloud, and pointed.

"I see her," Mark answered. "She looks kinda sad, Callie, don't you think?"

"I guess, yeah..." Callie said weakly, a bad feeling beginning to sprout in the pit of her stomach.

"She's fighting in, like, half an hour. Shouldn't she be, I don't know, preparing?"

"She knows what she's doing, Mark." Callie began to fidget. "At least, I hope she does."

...

Arizona stifled a sob as she tried to pull her mind away from thoughts of Callie and how she had hurt her, maybe irrevocably. She needed to get herself ready for her fight. She stood up and moved away from the ring to a empty corner of the gym, and began to mimic some defensive moves.

"I can help you with that if you want."

Arizona stiffened as she recognized the voice from behind. "No thank you," she responded curtly.

"Arizona, I'm so sorry..." Joanne began, pleading.

"I have nothing to say to you, please just leave me alone," Arizona answered back, not bothering to turn around.

"Are you really going to leave the dojo...because of...me?"

"Yes, I will. Unless_ you_ choose to leave. But I can't make that decision for you," Arizona said, finally turning around, revealing to Joanne sad, hurt eyes. "Now _please_ go. I have to prepare."

Joanne walked away, dejected. This was never what she wanted. Never what she hoped for.

Arizona moved to turn back around, but took one last cursory scan of the bleachers hoping, maybe, she would see Callie.

...

Callie and Mark watched the interaction in the corner of the gym with surprise.

"She looks pissed, Callie. She wouldn't even turn around to talk to her, to Joanne."

"Yeah..." Callie mumbled. She could see, plain as day, that Arizona was profoundly sad. "Maybe I should go talk to her..." Callie stood up.

"You can't." Mark held her arm. "Look, they're calling her event early."

He pointed to the ring again as several women around Callie's age, all black belts, all serious as hell, gathered around the judges table for their fight order. She watched with growing concern as Arizona moved to join them. She didn't look ready for this at all.

...

"Robbins and Smythe, first up. Then Brennan and Yoshira..."

The referee continued to pair up the fighters for the first round. Every competitor would fight until they lost two matches, with the remaining four women fighting each other until there were just two left. They would fight for the championship.

"Fights will last three minutes, or until one person reaches three points, or I will end it if there is a knockout. As you read and agreed to, there will be no shots above the neck. I _will_ penalize you if I see it." He looked at each of them directly to drive his point home. Some women nodded back, others just stared him down. "We'll begin in five minutes." With that, he turned back to the table to talk with the judges.

The women looked each other over, sizing up the competition. Arizona turned away and walked off the mat, then knelt down on the hard floor and closed her eyes. She took a long deep breath and tried to focus on what was about to happen, why she was there. She tried desperately to push all thoughts of Callie from her mind, and just focus. It wasn't easy. For only a second she considered pulling out of the tournament altogether, but Arizona Robbins was not a quitter. She would see this through, even if she never made it past the first round.

"Robbins, Smythe...on the mat please, first fight of the women's black belt twenty-five to forty-five kumite event. Everybody else, stay at least five feet back of the mat, please."

Arizona stepped up to her white line on the mat, about two feet from the edge, and her competitor did the same. The area around them became quiet as bodies stilled to watch.

"Shomen ni. Rei" Arizona and the other woman both turned and bowed to the judges table, and to the referee, and finally to each other.

"Yoi!" the referee yelled, raising his arm, indicating they should ready themselves to fight.

Arizona tensed, opened her eyes wide and took a sharp intake of breath.

"Hajime!" the referee yelled, dropping his arm, and in a flash the other woman was moving, advancing on Arizona, full of bluster, curled fists out in front, ready to strike.

...

Am I evil? Yep, a little bit. )

Don't fret...we know Arizona can handle herself in a fight.


	14. Chapter 14

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

Chapter 14

A/N – Okay, so this was _supposed_ to be the last chapter, but I'm going on vacation in two days and I haven't packed or cleaned or done laundry or anything! :) So, I'll post _this_ now, then the final conclusion in about two weeks. I'm looking forward to next Thursday...Season Premier! Also, FYI, the DVD of Season 7 was released for sale this week...great shot of our girls kissing on the inside cover! Thanks once again for all the kind and funny comments and reviews. Seems a lot of you _really _want Arizona to know that Callie showed up for her.

...

"Hajime!"

The referee yelled, dropped his arm and stepped back, and the woman came at Arizona like gangbusters, all fury and thunder.

But without, Arizona quickly noted, much pace or self control. _Can she keep it up?_ she wondered, as she swiftly side-stepped a glancing blow to her left shoulder.

Arizona recalled what she had been taught at every dojo she trained in, and by every teacher she trained with.

Breathe. Focus. Anticipate. _React. _

And so that's what she did, for most of the match. Letting her opponent come at her, avoiding all the wayward punches and kicks, expending as little energy as possible, while steadily watching the other woman tire herself out.

Callie watched from the bleachers with a mixture of worry and fear.

"Oh god, Mark...I can't watch!" She quickly drew a hand up to her face, partially obscuring her view. Unable to contain herself, she stood up and stepped over to the aisle, pointing down at the ring. "She's gonna get hurt!"

"No, I don't think so, Cal," Mark said, observing carefully, objectively. "She's playing it smart, I think...yeah, look," he said, standing up to join his friend on the steps. "the other one's getting tired..."

And it was true.

At about the two and a half minute mark, Arizona shifted her eyes briefly to the timer's clock, then back to her opponent. The woman was sweating and breathing heavily, and looked frustrated by the outcome. Clearly, she had envisioned a quick defeat of the smaller, unassuming blonde.

Neither had scored a point yet, and time was almost up.

The woman took a gulp of air, then did exactly what Arizona had hoped. She rushed forward and drew her leg up for what was sure to be a devastating and conclusive front kick to Arizona's midsection. But the woman was tired, no doubt about it. Her attempt was transparent, and laborious.

Arizona was counting on it. She spun around quickly to her left, using her forearm to provide a cursory block in case the woman was able to adjust and redirect mid-kick.

She wasn't, and her devastating, game ending front kick landed with a hard thud onto the now vacant mat.

Arizona had already stepped behind the startled woman and grabbed the thick material of her gi at her shoulder with one hand while lowering her knee and placing it directly behind her opponent's at the same time. Then Arizona shot her arm out straight across the woman's throat, like a pole, and in one fluid motion Arizona buckled her opponent's knee, flexed her hip upwards, and pulled back her arm, yanking on the gi. The woman, had she been told ahead of time, still would have been powerless to stop it.

It was science, really. Kinetics. Joints and leverage. Push and pull. And plenty of know how.

The woman's body flung like a rag doll over Arizona's hip and landed hard on the mat. Arizona wasted no time in dropping to one knee and delivering a blow, half strength, to the woman's abdomen.

"Point!" the referee yelled, stepping in and raising his arm high in Arizona's direction, just as someone at the judge's table called out, "Time!"

Arizona stood and offered a hand to her opponent, helping her up. They each returned quickly to their line on the mat and bowed to each other and to the referee.

"Winner, Robbins!" he proclaimed, and Arizona turned and shuffled off the mat just as the next two competitors were being called.

Arizona had won on points, which she was happy with. She had absolutely no desire to inflict pain or injury on the poor woman, clearly outclassed in this event. She pressed through the crowd of onlookers and received a few nods of approval and congratulatory pats on the shoulder as she went. She manoeuvred around groups of people and some kids running and playing, aiming for the large set of double doors leading out to the main hall.

There was something she needed to check.

As soon as the referee called Arizona the winner, Callie bolted down the stairs, her anger and jealousy long gone. All she wanted to do was find Arizona and hold her. Kiss her. Tell her she was sorry. Tell her she loved her and they would work things out. All that and more.

"Callie!" A distressed voice called out to her as she stepped onto the bustling gymnasium floor.

"What do _you_ want?" Callie snarled, turning, her voice low.

"I want to talk to you about Arizona..." Joanne stopped, wisely, a few feet away.

Callie waved at her dismissively. "Well I have _nothing_ to say to you." She turned around to leave, then stopped. "Actually, that's not true."

She turned back and took a long angry stride in Joanne's direction, causing the smaller woman to cringe and step back. "_You_ are a manipulative, conniving _bitch_..."

"I know, I'm sorry about everything!" Joanne pleaded. "Please, just...Arizona won't talk to me...she won't even _look_ at me, but...she can't leave!" She looked sheepishly around, aware of the attention they were garnering. She gambled one cautious step closer to the brunette.

"What the _hell_ are you talking about, Joanne. Leave _where_?" Callie was becoming increasingly agitated. She just wanted to go find Arizona.

Joanne shook her head and looked away, and Callie suddenly wondered if the young woman was close to crying.

"I...it can't be _me_...I _can't_ be the reason Arizona leaves the dojo. They, well, all the kids and parents and _everybody_...they _love_ her there." She looked straight at Callie. "_I'll_ go. _I'll_ leave. And she can stay."

"What?" Callie's tone softened, confused by this new information. "Why would she leave?"

"Because of what I did." Joanne looked away again, embarrassed. She sighed loudly. "How I tried to come between you two."

Callie regarded her, still cautious, but didn't say a word.

"I love her _too_, you know. I have for a long time," Joanne finally confessed, looking back at Callie.

She met Callie's steady gaze with a hint of defiance, then it melted away.

"How could I not? She's amazing...but I don't have to tell you that." She paused, and shifted in place. "I guess I just figured things would _eventually_ happen between us, and then you came on the scene...and I got...jealous."

She shrugged her shoulders, and sighed heavily again.

"It was my fault, the other night. _I _cleared Arizona's messages on her phone. _I_ guilted her into having a drink with me. And _I _kissed her at the bar...she...didn't kiss me back. Not at all. She pushed me away and left right after."

Callie, arms crossed, opened her mouth to speak, but Joanne interrupted her.

"I know, okay, I'm sorry. I'm _so_ sorry. And now...she's just so worried that things are messed up between the two of you...I'm afraid she might get hurt today, you know. If she's not concentrating properly when she fights." She looked over her shoulder towards the ring. "She was lucky with the first one. That woman didn't really know what she was doing and Arizona could see that...but some of the others here are seriously good fighters. I don't want her to get _hurt_, Callie."

Callie took a deep breath and composed herself, the venom she felt earlier slowly dissolving.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked.

"Find her," Joanne simply said. "Find her, and tell her that she doesn't have to leave the dojo, because _I _am, and tell her she has to focus on the fight..." She paused. She didn't know what else to say.

"Fine," Callie answered, then she turned and quickly walked away.

"Wait! One more thing." Joanne hurried to catch up, reaching out and holding Callie lightly by the arm. "Tell her that her foot placement is still too slow. She has to be quicker or a better fighter will pick up on it and take advantage." Joanne dropped her arm, then took a step back, out of the way.

Callie nodded once and walked on, across the gym floor and through the set of double doors through which Arizona had disappeared.

She looked left, down the hall, and saw only the outside entrance to the building, so she headed right instead, figuring Arizona would still be somewhere inside. She hurried along, opening every unlocked door, checking every alcove, quietly calling out her name.

Callie finally found her, slumped on the floor, in a far corner of the women's change room.

She was leaning against an open locker.

She looked small and frail.

Defeated.

Her head was down, her legs pulled up to her chest, her cell phone clutched tightly in her hand.

She was crying.

Callie rushed forward.

"Arizona!" She crumpled to the floor as Arizona looked up and gasped. "I'm here, baby, it's okay." Callie felt warm tears sting her own eyes as she folded Arizona's weeping form into her body. "I'm _so_ sorry about everything," she whispered, kissing the top of the blonde's head. "I love you _so_ _much_.

"You came..." Arizona stammered, "I didn't know you were here...Callie you were right about _everything_...Joanne was trying to split us up and I..."

"Doesn't matter now." Callie assured her, pulling away to look at her. "She told me...I just ran into her and she told me...well, she apologized, actually."

"I...just, I had no idea how manipulative she could be...I don't believe anything she says..." Arizona sobbed, sitting up and back as she wiped at the tears that had settled on her cheeks.

Callie moved to settle beside her, wrapping one arm comfortingly around the blonde's shoulder as she took her hand and held it tightly.

"What exactly did she say to you?" Arizona sniffed, wiping at a stray tear again.

Callie smiled adoringly and kissed the back of Arizona's hand before answering.

"She told me that she's in love with you."

"Yeah right," Arizona muttered, shuddering a little.

"She _did_," Callie teased back, "And I think, you know, maybe it's true." She smiled coyly. "You _are_ pretty amazing."

Arizona gave a nudge with her shoulder. "_Anyway_, what else did she say?"

Callie shrugged. "Just that she admitted to messing with your phone, and she told me she kissed you at the bar..."

Arizona's head quickly turned, and she opened her mouth to speak.

"..._and_, she told me you pushed her away." Callie smiled back. "It's okay."

"Well," Arizona began, "I guess it's good that she confessed...but it's always going to be a problem if she's around. So," Arizona took a deep resigning breath in, and exhaled. "I've decided to leave the dojo."

"Nope." Callie simply said, shaking her head.

"Yeah..." Arizona looked sideways at her. "I have to Cal, otherwise she'll always be around..."

"No, she won't." Callie shook her head again. "She _told_ me that you were planning on leaving, but she said she would feel guilty, I think, if that happened." She paused. "So she's going to leave instead."

"Really?" Arizona asked, incredulous.

"Yeah, really," Callie responded, wiping away the remaining tears lingering on Arizona's cheek. Then she stood up, pulling the blonde with her.

"She told me one more thing too," Callie added.

"What?" Arizona asked, looking around deserted locker room for the first time.

Callie tugged at her girlfriends jacket, pulling and straightening it underneath the belt. "She told me that you're too slow with you're footing, whatever that means, and that some opponents will pick up on it." Her expression turned serious. "She said you could get hurt."

Arizona nodded, "I know, she's right. I have to be faster."

"How many more rounds do you have?" Callie called, sitting down on a bench as Arizona stepped over to a nearby sink to splash cold water on her face.

"Well, I just keep going until I lose two matches," Arizona answered, inspecting her slightly red and puffy cheeks. "Might be the next two, who knows," she shrugged, walking back to where Callie sat.

"No, you're too good, you know that. I bet you'll make it to the final." Callie stood up again. "Speaking of which, maybe we should head back out...see when your next match is, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Arizona answered as she stepped over to her open locker and tossed her cell back in her bag, slamming the door shut. She turned around and smiled shyly. "Callie? Thanks for coming...and for finding me."

Callie stepped over the bench and pulled Arizona into her. They wrapped their arms around each other and held on tight. Then they kissed, softly, briefly.

"I love you so much," Callie whispered as she held Arizona. "I would do anything for you."

"Me too," Arizona echoed, pulling Callie even closer.

They stood just like that, pressed together, for a long minute, until finally Callie nudged her head in the direction of the door. They walked out together, their arms wrapped firmly around the other's waist.

Arizona's next match was still about ten minutes away, so she waved at Mark to join her and Callie on a bench at floor level, and together they watched the remaining competitors. Mark expressed concern for one woman in particular, who seemed especially fast and dangerous, should Arizona have to fight her.

"That one," he pointed out, "over there in the corner."

They cast their gaze to the empty corner of the gym Arizona had previously occupied.

The woman was formidable, no doubt.

She easily had a good four inches in height over Arizona, was probably thirty pounds heavier, and just _looked_ mean.

Like she _wanted_ to hurt someone.

Like maybe she would _enjoy_ it.

Arizona's eyes widened a bit. "Well," she said, more herself more than anyone, "size isn't everything..."

The woman was practising her kicks with a male counterpart, a colleague from the same dojo. Not only was she powerful, but she was incredibly controlled and accurate, aiming for his head with spectacular force, but stopping mere inches from making contact. He seemed to have complete confidence in her abilities too, because he didn't flinch once.

Arizona would have been suitably impressed if she didn't have to face the notion of possibly _fighting_ against the woman.

"I watched her first match," Mark said. "She won it in less than a minute with a knock out. The other woman had to be helped off the mat, Arizona," he cautioned.

"_Mark_..." Callie nudged him to stop talking.

"No, it's okay," Arizona said, placing a hand on Callie's knee as she leaned over to look at Mark. "Thanks for the heads up. I appreciate it."

She nodded and stood, and began to stretch and limber up again. "I'd better get ready. They could call me any time now..."

"Robbins! Yoshira! To the mat!" they all heard, and Arizona forced a smile.

"Gotta go," she said.

Callie stood up quickly, nervously. "Okay, just...remember what Joanne said, okay?" She placed her hands firmly on Arizona's shoulders, and held her gaze. "You'll be great...you _are_ great."

Arizona nodded once, steeled her expression, and moved away through the crowd.

...

Okay, this isn't really a cliffhanger, per se...so please don't be upset with me!

Anyway, I think we all know where this is headed...BTW, it's very difficult to write a karate tournament scene and not have it turn into something from The Karate Kid movie (the original, I haven't seen the others). Just saying. :)

I'll see you in two weeks, folks.

Enjoy the Season Premier!


	15. Chapter 15

**Walk Tall...by lilscout**

Chapter 15

A/N – Okay, this is it...last chapter. Writing this story has been a labour of love. It started out as a story about Callie, at least, the idea for it was born out of something she said in an older Grey's episode, about how she used to "walk tall" around SGH... but along the way, I became more interested in Arizona's side of things. Also, it was only supposed to be about eight chapters, max! So, to be finally adding chapter fifteen seems unreal to me.

Thank you, sincerely, to everyone who has read it, reviewed it, alerted it and critiqued it. Your input is motivating, and invaluable. I'm going to take a break for a bit, but I think the next story I write will be for Rizzoli and Isles. Their dynamic fascinates me. Plus, Maura is _unbelievably_ hot! )

...

Arizona moved off through the crowd as her name was called for the next fight.

She had gotten over her initial nervousness, and made it through pretty handily. Then, finally, it was down to the last four fighters.

For Arizona's semifinal, she was matched with a woman who was smaller, but much faster, than her. In truth, she wouldn't have minded losing now. She didn't relish the idea of facing the bigger fighter who would almost assuredly win her semifinal.

And really, she just wanted to be alone with Calliope.

In the end, though, Arizona won, kind of by default. Her opponent attempted a spinning kick, but the woman's planted foot just didn't pivot with the rest of her. The delicate joints in her ankle were no match for the torque created by her spinning body, and she collapsed to the floor, her ankle badly injured, unable to continue.

The second semifinal was not nearly as cordial. Early on in the match the intimidating woman, Davis, delivered a running high kick to her opponents upper chest, knocking her clear out of the ring. It was very powerful and was meant to intimidate.

Arizona was shocked and a little disgusted. The kick landed dangerously close to the opponent's throat. Maybe, for anyone else, it could have been called an accident. A mistake. But Arizona had already witnessed this woman's self control. It had to have been intentional, though the referee didn't penalize her. After that, the match ended quickly.

"Robbins, Davis, championship fight, five minutes!" the referee yelled.

Callie jumped up and began to pace the short distance between Arizona and Mark, both still seated. "How do you feel?" she asked, her nerves evident.

"Honestly? A little nervous." Arizona forced a brief smile. "I'll do my best to stay out of her way..." she stopped, noticing that something had caught Callie's attention. She turned her head and saw Joanne standing a few feet behind them. It was clear the young woman wanted to speak, but was reluctant to approach the group. Mark saw her too and stood up, instinctively protective of his best friend.

"_What now_, Joanne?" Callie asked, irritation in her voice.

"Just..." Joanne hesitated, then came down the last few steps to join them on the floor, careful to stay a few paces away. "I've been watching all her fights. Davis. She's fast, Arizona, and really strong."

"I already know that, Joanne..." Arizona began, her voice weary.

"I know..." Joanne paused, pushing out a resigning breath. "I'm sorry _again _about everything." She looked at Callie. "I just wanted to tell you that I think there's a way you can beat her," she looked down, "but I'll leave if you want me to."

Callie flashed a questioning look, first to Arizona, then to Mark.

"What Joanne? Say what you came to say, if it can keep Arizona from getting hurt," she prompted.

Joanne looked up and, encouraged by Callie's softened tone, took one small step forward.

"The thing is...she's a fighter. Obvious, I know," she said, turning in response to Mark's quiet scoff. "What I _mean_ is, she wants to _beat_ her opponents, not just win on points." She turned back to Arizona. "I think you should let her come to you. If you can get over the fear of being hurt. Make her _commit_ herself. She's bigger and stronger but she also _wants_ you to be afraid of her. She needs it. So, be smarter. Wait for your moment." Joanne became more animated, encouraged by the attention all three were now giving her. "There's something I've noticed too, and I don't think she's even aware of it...but just before she attacks, her eyes get wide. You can kind of predict it, if you're looking for it."

Arizona looked past the crowd milling around the mat, and spied her opponent.

Her male colleague stood beside her, talking to her in hushed tones, but she was staring through the crowd directly at Arizona, her expression hinting at smugness.

Arizona rolled her eyes, then looked back at Joanne.

"Also," Joanne continued, "she seems to like flashy takedowns...but you've always been really good at using balance and leverage, because you're smaller." Joanne glanced at Arizona's opponent and shrugged. "I think, if it were me, I'd try to take her legs out from under her. She obviously loves to kick, and she's very good at it, but if you can get a hold of one of her legs...I think you can take her down." She looked pointedly at Arizona, and said quietly, "That's what I'd try...if it were me."

Arizona was silent and still for a long moment while she considered Joanne's advice. Then she stood up and nodded to the younger woman.

"Thanks Jo. I'm sure it took a lot for you to come over here and tell me that. I appreciate it."

Callie nodded as she wrapped her arm around Arizona's waist. "Yeah, thank you," she added.

Joanne pursed her lips, and nodded back once. She seemed to understand that the conversation, the friendship, was over. She worked to hold back her tears. "Okay, you're welcome," she said, her voice thick with sadness. "Good luck Arizona," she added, finally turning and walking quickly away through the crowd.

Moments later, the referee summoned both women.

Since it was one of the last fights of the day, all other formal activity on the floor of the gymnasium had ceased while attention was focused their ring.

Arizona stepped onto the mat. She felt nervous and a little scared. She didn't expect to ever make it this far, and now she was facing an opponent who had already caused injury to other fighters. Weird, disjointed thoughts ran through her head...Joanne's advice, military strategy, her father, her brother, his last girlfriend, Callie...

She shook her head. _Focus!_ she reprimanded herself. She looked down at her feet, planted firmly behind the white line, then glanced up at her opponent. The woman's face was like stone.

There was no great ceremony, no long speech. The referee signalled for both women to bow, then he raised his arm high.

"Hajime!" he yelled.

The woman moved fast, and Arizona barely had time to raise her hands. She saw Davis rush at her as if to deliver another high running front kick. Arizona had nowhere to go. She quickly back pedalled, stopping when she felt the cold smooth wood of the gymnasium floor against her feet.

She closed her eyes, and grimaced. She had left the mat.

The referee stepped in quickly to warn Arizona, but she already knew what he was going to say. If she stepped off the mat again, he would award a point to her opponent. Arizona nodded her understanding as she padded back to her line.

When she looked at her opponent, she caught the woman smirking at her, cocky and arrogant, like she was thinking, _Yeah, this is gonna be easy. _

It pissed Arizona off, big time.

Again, the woman came at Arizona fast.

Arizona hastily side stepped her, though not in time to avoid the powerful side kick to her shoulder. She wasn't hit full strength, but it still hurt like hell, and though she tried to hide it, Arizona winced in pain as the referee called out, "Point, Davis!"

The next point, however, went Arizona's way, and she felt lucky to get it. Her opponent chose to approach slowly, her fists down, stalking, almost predatory. They circled the ring steadily, like heavyweight boxers, matching each other stride for stride, Davis almost baiting Arizona to make a move. But Arizona didn't fall for it, and as seconds ticked by, the woman's impatience grew. She took a step forward, and Arizona quickly recognized that she was probably setting up for a spin kick. Arizona held her ground until the last possible moment then simply stepped backward, allowing the woman's powerful leg to whiz right by her, her momentum now misdirected since there was no longer a body to make contact with.

Arizona took the opportunity she was given and stepped in, delivering a fast and solid blow to the woman's right ribcage.

"Point, Robbins!"

Arizona scurried back to her line, pursing her lips to hide her smile. She could hear Callie and Mark cheering loudly for her on the sidelines.

Davis, however, was seething. She was not accustomed to losing, even if it was just a single point. She growled inside as she stalked back to her line, then turned, narrowing her eyes at Arizona. When she heard the referee's signal she moved in taking three long loping paces to Arizona's left, forcing Arizona to go right. When she saw that Arizona had come close to the mat's edge again, she faked a lunging punch. Arizona moved her arms to block it, but the punch never came. Arizona had mistakenly left herself open and Davis stepped into her body and delivered a savage and illegal elbow to Arizona's face.

Arizona cried out in pain and dropped to her knees, both hands pressing hard against her left eye. The throbbing began immediately, and Arizona tried to block out the yelling and angry commotion swirling around her. She lightly touched the tender skin, and pried open her eyelid, though she could already feel it beginning to swell shut.

Davis hovered over Arizona for just a moment, then calmly turned and stepped back to her line, satisfied that her message had been delivered.

Callie was outraged. She pulled against Mark's arm, torn between not interfering, and rushing onto the mat to help her injured girlfriend.

"She can't _do_ that!" Callie screamed at her friend. "What the hell is her _problem_? She should be disqualified!" She saw Arizona slowly attempting to stand, and called out her name in desperation, finally letting go of Mark and rushing over to the edge of the mat.

Arizona put out one hand to stop Callie from stepping onto it. "I'm okay, Cal, it's alright." She wobbled a bit as she got both feet under her. "I just need a second, okay?"

"Can't you just stop, _please_?" Callie begged, her voice cracking. "I love you, okay...god, I can't_ stand_ this!"

The referee hurried over to Arizona and spoke to her, his voice low, asking if she was okay to continue. She nodded, _yes_, and asked for just a moment to compose herself.

Callie, meanwhile, was glaring at Davis, desperate to send a message of her own, which went something like, _you hurt her again and I'll run you over with my car._

"Callie, I love you too, but I _have_ to finish this. Especially now, after what she just did." Arizona pressed her fingers to Callie's cheek. "I'll be fine sweetie, I promise. Now go sit with Mark, okay? He looks really stressed."

Callie glanced at her best friend, then turned again to Arizona, and leaned in close. "If you don't kick her ass, _I will_," she cautioned, and Arizona smiled.

The referee had returned to the edge of the mat, and waited for Arizona to signal that she was ready.

Arizona stepped back to her line, breathing deeply and closing her eyes as the pulsing and tingling in her face made her feel nauseous. She pried open both eyes, and cracked her neck left, then right, then rolled her shoulders back. She looked at her opponent. Davis was straining at the leash, itching to pounce on her injured prey.

Arizona nodded to the referee.

"Illegal contact above the neck! Point to Robbins!" he announced.

Then he leaned in with his arm raised and dropped it quickly, stepping back.

Davis moved in slowly again, and Arizona guessed she would attempt another kick, though _which one_ was anyone's guess. A dozen possibilities raced through the blonde's mind in the time it took her to blink, and she found herself remembering Joanne's earlier advice.

..._take her legs out from under her_...

Suddenly Arizona saw the woman's eyes go wide..._why didn't I notice that earlier?_...as she skipped forward, raising her leg and and pivoting her hips for a devastating side kick, not unlike the one she had delivered in her semifinal match.

She didn't even try to mask it.

She was taunting Arizona, goading her, saying, _here's what I'm going to do to you, try to stop me._

But Arizona anticipated it, hoped for it, even. Because instead of moving back out of range, she quickly stepped in and to the side, catching the woman's leg halfway between ankle and knee. She held on, latching it with her arm as she pushed it up above her chest, while immediately dropping her right leg behind her opponent's right knee.

Then, she stepped forward, and the woman's body fell backward.

It had nowhere else to go.

Davis scrambled mid fall, wind milling her arms to try, desperately, to stay upright, to regain her balance. But it was no use. Her body hit the mat with a thud, her head ricocheting up and down as Arizona's body fell partly on top of her. She lay there, stunned and defenseless, trying to catch the breath that had been knocked out of her.

Arizona quickly fumbled up to one knee, and delivered a final blow to the woman's midsection.

"Point Robbins!" the referee yelled, stepping in.

Arizona jumped up and scurried back to her line, _fast_.

Davis took a few seconds longer to regroup, and when she realized what had happened, she sat up, and scrambled over onto her knees, slamming her fist hard onto the mat in anger. She ignored the referee's disapproving look, and stalked back to her line, begrudgingly turning to face Arizona.

"Winner, Robbins!" the referee called out, and a thunderous applause erupted, led by Callie and Mark, and, twelve rows away, Joanne too.

Arizona gave her opponent and the referee a quick bow, then turned and pushed her way through the gathering crowd, seeking out Callie's warm brown eyes.

...

"Sssss..." Arizona sucked in her breath as Callie leaned down and gently applied a makeshift ice pack to her bruised and swollen eye.

Callie halted, pulling it away quickly. "Does it hurt too much?" she asked, straightening up. "I _knew_ you should've let me take you to the hospital..."

"Callie," Arizona interjected, pulling the brunette down onto the couch as she took the small bag from her girlfriends hand, "yes it hurts, but it's just a bruise, okay." She did her best to be reassuring, pressing the ice lightly against her cheek.

Callie blew out a quick breath, clearly frustrated. "I just wanted to _kill_ her when she did that to you. I honestly don't know how you restrained yourself."

Arizona shrugged, shifting her body around to lean back into her girlfriend. They both settled comfortably against the arm of the sofa.

"I don't want to hurt anyone...even her," she replied, snuggling closer.

Callie's gaze fell on the trophy that Arizona had set down in the kitchen. It was a little ridiculous, the sheer size of it. "Where are you going to put that thing?" she asked, nudging her head towards the counter.

"Oh, well it'll stay at the dojo, I guess. I won it for them, not for me." She smirked, then grimaced as the slight shift of her cheek caused her pain. "Besides, I'd never have room here for it. It's too big...and a little ostentatious, don't you think?"

She felt Callie's arms wrap around her, pulling her in tight. "You could have been really hurt today. I can't...please tell me you're not planning on entering any more tournaments...I don't think I can take seeing you hurt again."

"No more tournaments," Arizona replied, "I promise." She shifted on the sofa again, turning her body around and sitting up with her knees between Callie's legs to face her. She let the ice pack drop to the floor.

Callie grunted as she leaned over to retrieve it, stopping when Arizona placed both hands on her cheeks and pulled her in for a deep lingering kiss.

"Woah," Callie exhaled, catching her breath when they pulled apart. "What was that for?"

"For coming to find me today...for being so supportive...I realize I wasn't being the best girlfriend at times, with Joanne and everything, I'm sorry..."

"Stop, Arizona." Callie dropped her gaze. "That wasn't all you. I...well, I _may_ have some jealousy issues I need to work on," she looked up again and smiled.

Arizona regarded her playfully. "How 'bout we continue this in the bedroom?" she asked, reaching down with both hands, pulling her top up and over her head. She let it fall lazily behind her.

Callie's eyes went wide and she sat forward, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist as she tenderly kissed her neck and shoulders, and the top of her breasts.

Arizona moaned softly, leaning into Callie's touch, tilting her head to allow Callie the access she wanted.

When Callie trailed her hand lightly down the bare skin of Arizona's back, the blonde shivered.

When that same hand slid over her thigh and teased against her throbbing groin, she buckled.

"Calliope!" she gasped, "Bedroom. Now!"

Callie nipped at Arizona's ear, then pulled away, looking into the blonde's eyes with a most mischievous grin.

"Yes, sensei," she replied.

...

The End.


End file.
